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A HISTORY

MARLBORO COUNTY,

WITH

TRADITIONS AND SKETCHES OF
NUMEROUS FAMILIES.

REV. J. A. W. THOMAS.
AUTHOR.

A zuonderftil stream is the rii'er Time

As it runs through the realms of tears
With a faultless rhythm, and a musical rhyme.
And a broader siveef and a surge sublime
As it blends zvith the ocean of years.

— Tennyson.

Atlanta, Ga.:

The Foote & Davies Company,

Printers and Binders.

1897.

DEDICATION.

To THE People of Marlboro, Who Have

Uniformly Shown Their

Appreciation,

Love and Esteem for the Author.

J. A. W. THOMAS,

This Work is Affectionately Dedicated.

PREFACE.

As stated elsewhere, the author found it very difficult
to secure material for the History of Marlboro. Years
ago he conceived the idea of leaving such a work as a
legacy to the people. But the slow responses to his
request for data and facts as to family history and the vast
amount of research necessary to finish the historical part
caused long delay. His friends will remember, too, that
any additional literary work was but adding to the burden
of a life already full of study and duties, and was there-
fore done at long intervals. So it was not strange that
his hand was stilled before the task was completed which
affection had prompted him to undertake. For the more
perfect completion of the work it is to be greatly regretted
that it has fallen to the lot of others to finish it as
best they cpuld. To a fond son it has been a labor of
love, though attended with many difficulties and respon-
sibilities. He is indebted to Judge Hudson, Hon. H. H.
Newton, Capt. T. E. Dudley and other friends for facts
and data. Special thanks are due Capt. John R. Parker
for the map of the county.

It is sad to know that many who were living when the
work was commenced, and who, in many instances, gave
information to the author, have passed over the river.

Many have dropped by the wayside who would have
found pleasure in perusing these pages, for the sake of
the author as well as for the contents. But the indulgent
friends who tarry yet for a little while, will, it is hoped,
pardon mistakes, omissions, and shortcomings. Much
of this is due, not to the conscientious, loving author, but
to the fact that his work was transmitted to the far less
capable, but willing hands of his son,

W. E. THOMAS.

CONTENTS.

Paqb.

Introduction.

By Judge J. H. Hudson, Bennettsville ii

Chap. I. — Marlboro County.

The Aboriginals — Among the Records — The Mace and
Sword of State :. 15

Chap. II. — First Early Settlers.

Craven County — The Welsh Colony — Their Names — The
David Family and Connections 20

Chap. III. — Evans., and other Families.

Judge J. J. Evans— Col. Tom Evans - Col. Wilds— The
Hodges — The Irbys — The Pegues 26

Chap. IV. — Other Early Settlers.

The Rogers Family 32

Chap. V. — Other Brownsville Families.

Brown — Magee— Car loss — Mason Lee — The Coxe Family

— Townsend 39

Chap. VI. — Pearson Family and Others.

Henagan, Bruce and Others —Peter S. Ney .* 46

Chap. VII. — Industrial Affairs of the Early Settlers.

Wild Horses and Cattle — Primitive Means of Transporta-
tion — Military A£fairs — Some of Their Grievances 51

Chap. VIII. — Family of Col. Kolb and Their Neighbors.

Pouncey, Cochrane, Spears, Vining, etc 60

Chap. IX. — Revolution Drawing Nigh.

Causes Which Led Up to It— Grievances — Eloquent Words
From Judge and Jury 65

Chap. X. Several Old Families.

Terrell -Dr. James H. Thornwell — Gillespie — Ellerbe —
Forniss — Pledger 72

Chap. XI. — Progress of Revolutionary Sentiment.

Crisis Approaching — The Battle of Lexington — Troops
Ordered from the Pee Dee— Patriotic Sentiment — Declara-
tion of Independence — Charleston Threatened 78

8 Contents,

Chap. XII. — Thomas, Parker and Others.

Major Tristram Thomas— Robert, the Grandfather— Moses
Parker — Twenty-two Children — Joshua Ammons — Joshua
Fletcher — Twenty-two children —Traditions — Some Scotch-
men — Easterlings, 85

Chap. XIII. — Progress of Revolution.

Events of 1780 - Marlboro Troops on the March — Fall of
Charleston — Tory Bandit — The Ayers — A Fort Armed with
Wooden Cannon — Defeat of Gates at Camden 95

Chap. XIV. — Traditions From Col. John Covington.

Hebron — The Covingtons — A Long Horseback Ride — The
Edens — Meekins . 100

Chap. XV. — Operations on Pee Dee, 1781.

Col. Kolb — Murder of Harry Sparks by the Tories — Death
of Col. Kolb — William Adams — Battle of Eutaw Springs —
Surrender of Cornwallis — Triumph of the American Cause 105

Chap. XVI. — Bishop Gregg.

His Wife. Miss Charlotte W. Kollock, a Marlboro Lady-
Lawyer, then Preacher 114

Chap. XVII. — Traditions From Alfred Parish.

Several Families — The Fuller "Ginger Cakes." 117

Chap. XVIII. — After the Revolution.

Shouldering Responsibilities — Establishment of County
Courts — Naming the Counties — Some of the First Repre-
sentatives in the Legislature 121

Chap. XIX. — Prominent Men After the Revolution.

Governors Furnished by Marlboro — B. K. Henagan, John
Lide Wilson, Robert and John Campbell Baron De Poel-
nitz — The Introductioii of "Nut Grass" in the County . . . 128

Chap. XX. — Members of the Legislature and Other Officers.
Members of the Legislature from the Revolution to Date —
Clerks of Court, Sheriffs and Ordinaries 132

Chap. XXI. — Scottish Settlers.

McColls McLaurins — John L. McCall 137

Chap. XXII.- Clio.

Joe Ivey The Father of Senator Joseph H. Hawley, of
Connecticut - The First Merchant— Hawley ville — "Muster
Day"— Other Early Merchants - T. C. Weatherly, John A.
McRae. W. A. Hinshaw— The Old People Living Near-
Robert Purnell 144

Contents, 9

Chap. XXIII. — Scottish Settlers (Continued).

McRaes — McLeods— Laird McLeod*— D. McD. McLeod—
McLucas. '. 152

Chap. XXIV. — The "Old Court-house. "

"Marlboro Old Court-house" — Its Location — ^The Old
Judges and Lawyers, Chancellors, Solicitors — The' Law-
yers of Marlboro .'..'... 159

Chap. XXV. — Removal of Court-house to Bennettsville.

Causes Which Led to the Removal -Act Passed Dec. 14,
1819— First Court-house at Bennettsville Completed 1824 —
Name Selected for the Town^-Second Court-house at 3en^
nettsville Built 1852— Third one 1884 ^ Its I?edication--The
Programme . . , ..;..... 167

Chap. XXVI, — Bennettsville.

Its First Beginning— Named for Governor Bennett^First
Houses — Pioneer Merchants — Earliest Citizens — Bennetts-
ville Prior to the War — Since the War 170

Chap. XXVII. — Brightsville.

Named for Charles Bright E. W. Goodwin — The "Stage
Road" — Odoms and Others — Joel Hall — Stubbs Family —
Moores— A. C. Mclnnis -Captain Thomas W. Huckabee. . 181

Chap. XXVIIL— Blenheim.

Its Name — Donald Matheson — "Mineral Spring" — Sum-
mer Residents— Some of the Old Farmers Who Lived Near
By — 250 Bushels Corn Per Acre 190

Chap. XXIX.— The Confederate War.

Secession — "Grim-visaged War"- Eight Full Companies
from Marlboro — Full Lists of Oflftcers and Men, Showing
Promotions and Casualties 193

Chap. XXX. — Early Ministers.

James -Williams — Bedgegood — Pugh, etc 228

Chap. XXXI. — Baptist Churches.

The "Old Welsh Neck, " the Mother of Churches— Browns-
ville, Salem, Beaverdam, Bennettsville, and Others —
J. A. W. Thomas 232

Chap. XXXII.— Methodist Churches.

Beauty Spot, the Mother of Churches — Hebron, Parnassus,
Bennettsville, Boykin, Pine Grove and others — Circuits
and Preachers 241

10 QnUents,

Chkt. XXXIII, — Presbyterian Churches.

BennettstviWe—GreaLt Pee Dec— Red Bluff— Other Presby-
terian Churches 258

Chak XXXIV^McColi^

Named for V. D. McColl— Principal Merchants— The Mc-
Coll Manufacturing Company — Some of the Places Around
Tatura 263

Cmak XXXV.— Adamrville.

Prize Farming — Fine Farmers — J. B. Breeden — Sketch of

the Adams Family 269

Chap. XXXVI.— Educational Matters.

Early Interest in Education — ^The Old Academies in Ben-
net tsville — Some of the Old Teachers — Bennettsville
Graded School 274

Chap. XXXVI I;-^The Colored People 279

Chap. XXXVIII.— 1886 284

Chap. XXXIX.— I^own to the Twentieth Century , 286

INTRODUCTION.

BY
J. H. HUDSON.

The author of this volume of local history died before
its completion, under circumstances touching and signifi-
cant. On Saturday August ist, 1896, he attended the an-
nual reunion of the Confederate veterans of Marlboro at
Tatum, where he delivered to the assembly of veterans
and citizens a feeling and eloquent address. On the Sab-
bath following, he preached in the forenoon at McColl,
and in the afternoon at Tatum, with his usual fervency
and zeal. Returning home, he ate his supper, held family
prayers, retired to his couch, and fell calmly into that
sleep which knows no waking.

For several years he had devoted his leisure moments
to writing the history of Marlboro, but before finishing it
for the press was called to his home above. His son has
prepared this volume for the press, and now presents it
to the people the author loved so dearly, and to whose
temporal and spiritual welfare he devoted a half century
of his laborious life.

In gathering the material for this history, he omitted

no source of information available, but sought aid from

all records and all classes of the community. It was the

aim of Capt. Thomas, in writing this history, to make it so

full in the matters of tradition and genealogy as to leave

no room for complaint, but in spite of his zeal, industrious

inquiry and research, he was unable to procure from some

families, facts and data, whilst some others were unable to

give information sought, having preserved no family

records, and having no traditions stored up in memory.

For any omissions in the work in this regard, the blame
2

12 History of Marlboro County,

must rest where it properly belongs, and must not be cast
upon the author, whose work was a labor of love and
whose sole aim was to do full justice to the people of
Marlboro, their noble ancestry, and beautiful region of
country. He loved his native land with a patriotic devo-
tion, and loved the people of his native county as a father
loves his children. To the labors of Bishop Gregg, Cap-
tain Thomas was largely indebted, and drew from the
*' History of the Old Cheraws " much valuable material,
pertaining to the history of Marlboro, for which he gives
full credit to that accomplished writer. No section of
South Carolina, distant from the sea-coast, is richer in
Revolutionary tradition and deeds of high renown, than
the region of the Old Cheraws on the upper Pee Dee, in the
heart of which is Marlboro. Much of her history is for-
ever lost, and for such as has with difficulty been rescued
from oblivion, the residents owe a debt of gratitude to
Gregg and Thomas, worthy sons of a proud ancestry and
faithful laborers in the vineyard ot our Saviour.

It is sad to know that much of the history of South
Carolina has been entirely lost or remains unwritten
through the indifference of her citizens. Efforts to per-
petuate her proud record were made by Moultrie, Ram-
say, Drayton, Johnson, Carroll and Simms, in none of
whose histories was a full record made of the memorable
deeds of prowess done on her soil, and least of all, of the
valorous deeds of the men of the Pee Dee region, not be-
cause of indifference or partiality of the writers, but solely
from the scantiness of information furnished. This in-
duced Bishop Gregg to write the ** History of the Old
Cheraws", after years of assiduous labor in gathering ma-
terial from every available source, and the same patriotic
motive induced the Rev. J. A. W. Thomas to write this
piece of local history of a people loyal to the State, valo-
rous in war, law abiding, industrious and thrifty in time
of peace. The people of Newberry owe a debt of grati-

History of Marlboro County, 13

tude to O'Neal and Chapman for their local histories, and
to Gregg a like debt of gratitude is due from the people
of upper Pee Dee, whilst to our author the citizens of Marl-
boro should feel deeply indebted for the history of the
people who have ever been true to themselves and their
State in time of war, and who, in peace, by quiet industry
and exemplary thrift have made Marlboro the garden
spot of the State.

CHAPTER I.
Marlboro County.

' ' Sit at the feet of history — through the night of years, the steps of
virtue she shall trace and show the earlier ages. " — Bryant.

The region of country, the history of which these pages
is designed to treat, is called Marlboro. Marlboro County
(first called District) was established by law, March 12,
1785. It takes its name from John Churchill, Duke of
Marlborough, who died in the early part of the i8th cen-
tury. He was an able English statesman, a successful pol-
itician and one of the very few generals, who through a life-
time of war, never met defeat. It is situated in the northeas-
tern corner of South Carolina, and bounded north and
northeast by North Carolina; south and southeast by
Marion County, and west and southwest by the Great Pee
Dee river. In the northern part of the County there are
three small creeks rising in the sand hills and flowing in-
the Great Pee Dee, namely; Beaverdam, Phills and Naked.
Crooked Creek, a considerable stream, rises in the extreme
northeast and, flowing in a southwesterly direction empties
into the Pee Dee river. In the southern part of the County,
are the Three Creeks; and two others, designated by the
name of Muddy. These various streams, with their
smaller tributaries, afford ample drainage for the entire
County. The area of the County is about 480 square
miles. The surface is slightly undulating, the soil fertile,
and largely open, and in a fine state of cultivation. Corn,
cotton, oats, wheat, potatoes, rye, rice, tobacco, sugar cane,
hay, melons and fruits all yield a rich and bounteous
harvest to the intelligent labor of the husbandman. Marl-
boro County is the pioneer county in South Carolina in
the intensive system of agriculture. Improved methods.

1 6 History of Marlboro County,

implements, seed, stock, drainage and buildings are every
where supplanting the inferior. The population is about
25,000. The whole County is teeming with busy, indus-
trious, prosperous people, in large degree employed in
agricultural pursuits. But tradesmen, merchants, manu-
facturers are all favored in their callings, while medicine,
law, and religion are all honored in the men who repre-
sent the learned professions.

One hundred and seventy-five years ago, so far as can
be ascertained a*: the present time, there was not a white
man living in what is now Marlboro. According to the
conclusions of Bishop Gregg, of Texas, after a research
'which has left nothing for the discovery of writers who
came after him, this whole Pee Dee region was held by the
aboriginal red men, until about 1730. He supposes that
a numerous tribe called '*Cheraws" ranged the forests
from the Cape Fear to the Pee Dee, and from the Atlantic
coast to the mountains; that smaller tribes occupied more
limited bounds within this vast area; and that upon the
middle Pee Dee region a tribe known as the "Pee Dees" had
their favorite hunting grounds, and from these wild men
the two Pee Dee Rivers took their names. The men yet
live who remember to have seen the evidences of a for-
mer population, in the mounds, the arrow-heads, pottery
and pipes found in various localities in the valley of the
Pee Dee. No more sad and mournful requiem can be any
where chanted over the dead, than could be imagined by
kindly sentiment at the disappearance of these children
of the forest, endowed by nature with certain noble char-
acteristics, yet always weakening and deteriorating when
brought into contact with the "pale faces." They have in-
variably disappeared before the tide of emigration and
civilization, until what were once strong, numerous tribes
have dwindled and faded, till many are extinct and the
remnants seem doomed to perish. But however sad this
first chapter in all the history of all parts of this country

History of Marlboro County. ij

may be, truth demands the record that these strange peo-
ple were here, sole proprietors of the soil, the 'forests,
game and waters of the land, when our ancestor first
landed upon the shores of the new world. The marvel
is not that they sometimes gave trouble to the whites that
came among them, but that those troubles were not ten-
fold more terrible and protracted than thev were. When
they saw their forests falling before the axe, their streams
being ponded upon their hunting grounds, the graves of
their dead turned by the plow-share, it is not strange that
they should look upon the newcomers as invaders of their
rights and their homes. It is almost too late for "pity for
the poor Indian," but not too late to bless the expiring years
of his existence with whatever of help and comfort a gene-
rous people can give a dying race. How long they trod
on plains, climbed our mountains, and paddled their light
canoes upon our waters, no man knows; but the statesman
and Christian alike must see that if anything is done for
he betterment of their condition, it should be done quickly.
Hitherto, there has been a wild West, to which their steps
could flee before the tide of the white man's enterprise:
but now the iron horse and the lightning messages are
running from shore to shore, and the wild hidings of the
Indian are disappearing forever. With him it is civilization,
Christianization, or annihilation.

Among the musty record may be seen at the State
House in Columbia a literary curiosity in the shape of a
treaty or covenant made between certain* aboriginal tribes
who once owned the wide forests of this State, and some
of the Lord Proprietors who sought fortunes in the new
world. It dates back to 1675, or thereabout, and des-
cribes certain lands upon the Edisto River and its branches
which the Indians sold to the Englishmen, conveying the
rights and titles to the forests, the streams the lands, the
hunting grounds; the consideration being "cloths, hatch-
ets, beads and such like trinkets and goods." The con-

1 8 History of Marlboro County,

tract is signed on the one part by the purchasers, and on
the other by the Indian settlers; the chiefs and leaders of
the tribes, of course all making their own peculiar "marks."
But what is especially remarkable, is the fact that several
"women captains" signed this treaty, or at least made
"their marks," and while the chiefs each made a
mark peculiar to his own hand, every woman made her
mark in the shape of a serpent, not all horizontally, but
some perpendicularly and others diagonally across the
page, but every one is a crooked serpentine line, some even
giving the larger head and small neck. That the Indian
savage allowed a dower to their women seems to be im-
plied, but why this peculiar signature? Did it signify a
claim to superior subtility and cunning? Did it indicate
her peculiar power to hurt and destroy? It has long been
a mystery and is yet. But a few years ago, while the late
Major Leitner was the Secretary of State, he called the
attention of Chief Morrison of the Catawba tribe to these
ancient signs and solicited an explanation of the mystery
and there is pinned upon the page in the handwriting of
the Secretary, the explanation of the chief; it is in sub-
stance as follows: The Indians have a tradition which they
claim to be five thousand years old. That a woman from
whom they are descended met in the forests a singular
serpent whose antics so pleased and charmed her, that she
was induced to break a solemn pledge to which her troth
had been plighted, and in punishment for her crime, an
awful curse befell her; and ever since, when an Indian
woman would make the most solemn vow of which she is
capable, she puts herself under the sign of the serpent,
calling down upon herself the malediction of the perjuror,
a punishment similar to that which befell the mother In-
dian who was betrayed into falsehood. As Chief Morri-
son explained it, the sign of the serpent indicates the most
solemn oath a woman can make. You who will may
speculate about the meaning of this singular relic of the

History of Marlboro County, 19

past, and find a better explanation than that given by the
civilized chief of the remnant of a once powerful tribe.
And alongside this there is another curiosity. The old
mace presented to the colony, ornamented with the crown,
its- globe, its cross — symbol of royalty. And to this day
along with the **broad sword" of State it is borne before
the chief magistrate of a free people as he is conducted
to his inauguration and oath of office. It may mean noth-
ing to us, but did mean much to the old colonists, who
received it from the mother country.

CHAPTER II.
First Early Settlers.

In the early division of the Province of South Caro-
lina, this whole Pee Dee region seems to have been em-
braced in what was called«Craven County; named, it is
supposed, in honor of William, Earl of Craven, one of
the first Lord Proprietors. Its immense area stretched
from the Santee River to the North Carolina line, and
from the seashore to the mountains. While some
measures were adopted at an earlier date looking to its
organization into parishes, and near the coast some settle-
ments were made, yet not until about 1 7 JO, did the au-
thorities take any active steps encouraging emigration
to this part of the colony. About this time, however,
several townships were marked out. One was laid off
near the mouth of Little Pee Dee called Queensborough;
and settlers were encouraged to occupy it, by the offer
of "fifty acres of land to each soul that would settle and
improve the grant." But not yet did this bring settlers, per-
manent residents at least, to that portion of country in-
cluded in the present limits of our county. It was not
until 1736, or early in 1737 ^^^^ ^"7 permanent settlement
was effected. That first settlement seems to have been so
manifestly directed by Providence, and so fruitful in
results, important and lasting, as to justify special notice.

The recital must take us back to the beginning of the
century, and to the principality of Wales. ^'Several Bap-
tist people, pining for larger religious liberty, living in the
counties Cairmarthen and Pembroke, in the year 1701,
resolved to remove to America." And as one of their
number, by name Thomas Griffith, wa^ already a minister,
they were advised to be constituted a church emigrant.
The names were as follows: **Thomas Griffith, Griffith

History of Marlboro County. 21

Nicholas, Evan Edwards, John Edwards, Elisha Thomas,
Enoch Morgan, Richard David, James David, Elizabeth
Griffith, Lewis Edmund, Mary John, Mary Thomas, Eliza-
beth Griffith,Tennant David, Margaret Mathias and Ten-
nant Morris.*' These sixteen persons met at Milford Haven
in the month of June, 1701, and embarked on the good
ship William and Mary» and on the 8th day of September
following landed at Philadelphia, and first settled about
Penepeck, but finding certain inconveniences there, "in
1703, they took up land in New Castle County, about
30,000 acres, and built a little house of worship." This
Welsh Tract, as it was called, was in Pennsylvania, but by
a change of boundary fell into Delaware. Gregg still
further records that the first visit from this colony to the
Pee Dee appears to have been made in 1735, or early in
the following year; that it led to a remarkable act of
favor on the part of the Colonial Council to induce the
Welsh to come. That act was an order to admeasure
and lay out for these Welsh families 173,840 acres of land
situated and being in Craven County.

In 1736, or early in the following year, a portion of this
original colony from Wales, or their descendants came
South, and at first stopped near the mouth of Catfish
Creek, in what is now Marion County; but having much
sickness there, they remained but a short time, and most
of them removed about fifty miles up the Pee Dee River,
and settled in what has ever since been called the "Welsh
Neck;" a district embracing the lands on the east side
of the river from the mouth of Crooked Creek to the
Red Hill or Hunt's Bluff. Upon the bank of the river, a
few hundred yards above the Society Hill Bridge, this
colony of Welsh people met and organized themselves
into a Baptist church in January, 1738, calling it Welsh
Neck. These are the names : James James and wife, Phillip
James and wife, Daniel Devonald and wife, Abel James and
wife, Thomas Evans and wife, John James and wife, David

22 History of Marlboro County.

•

Jones and wife, Thomas Harry and wife, Daniel Harry
and wife, John Harry and wife, Samuel Wilds and wife,
Samuel Evans and wife, Griffith John and wife and
Thomas Jones and wife. But these are not all who came.
Bishop Gregg in his '^History of the Old Cheraws" men-
tions a number of others as coming about the same time,
such as 'Thomas James, Griffith John, Wm. James, John
Newberry, Wm. Evans, Jafiies Rogers, David James, Sam-
uel Sorency, Evan Vaughan and Wm. Terrell." We are
not to suppose that all these settled on the east side of
the river, in what is now Marlboro. Now are we to infer
that none others than the above mentioned came. Some
settled on the west side of the river, and others outside
the Neck, above and below.

The names of Owen and Jenkin David are mentioned
in connection with the settlement at Catfish, and it is
quite well established that both these brothers were early
upon Marlboro soil, here lived and died, and have had in
all the years an extensive and respectable posterity in
the country. Indeed, it is doubtful if any of our old
families have so clear and satisfactory a genealogy, or
one so ancient, as this family. The writer had access to
an "Old Family Bible*' in which the record goes back
through several generations in Wales, before the coming
of Owen and Jenkin to the Pee Dee. The father of these,
it is recorded, was John David, of Wales, and wife Ann,
and John was the son of David and Lydia his wife; David
was the son of Thomas, who was the son of David Bevan.
Before coming to America. Owen married Catherine
Vaughan of Wales, who died childless. He then married
Dinah Underwood, who became the mother of Joshua,
Josiah, Benjamin and Sarah. These three sons were
soldiers in the Revolution. Joshua and Benjamin were
both wounded, Benjamin in the head, and Joshua in the
hand, at Eutaw Springs. Joshua married Lucy Hodge,
daughter of Thomas Hodge, who was also a soldier in the

History of Marlboro County. 23

War of Independence. From this marriage came John H.
Sarah, Joshua, Welcome, Jesse, Dinah and Betsy. John
H. married Mary, the daughter of Shadrach Fuller, who
becsme the mother of thirteen children. Lucy, Ann,
James E., John O., Mary, Alex. H., Evander, Safah,
Joshua, Charles, Elizabeth and William J. Of these,
James E., the first son, represented his people in the State
Senate and House of Representatives. John O. and
Alex. H. were well-known citizens for a long time; they
sleep in Marlboro's sacred soil, and are represented by
sons and daughters in the County. Dr. W. J. David
died at Dillon in 1895, Evander past 80, yet lives in North
Carolina.

Capt. Joshua David the second son of the first Joshua,
was for many years a civil officer in Marlboro, as sheriff,
clerk and ordinary. He was correct, honest, truthful;
and no man has left more beautiful penmanship, or a
clearer record upon the books. He ultimately married his
cousin, Miss Susanna David, and their only son, Joshua, died
soon after reaching manhood. Welcome, another son of
Joshua the first, has descendants among us yet. Jesse,
the third son of Joshua, reared a large family by his two
marriages; first with Miss Harry, and then with Miss Web-
ster. Joseph H., James F., and A. Judson David are sons
of this good man, and Mrs. J. S. Liles, a daughter, while
Mrs. Barnes and a number of others are among his grand-
children. Josiah was the son of Josiah, who was the
second son of Owen, previously mentioned, and has
descendants among us, but none bearing the David name,
except Wm. R. David and his children, who maternally
descended from Josiah. Benjamin, the other son of Owen,
went West many years ago.

Jenkin David, who came from Wales with his brother
Owen, had four sons, John, Azariah, Owen and Jenkin,
Of this old man it is upon record that he was a soldier
under General Wayne, in the French and Indian wars;

24 History of Marlboro County,

that he married Miss Rachel Rogers, daughter of
Nicholas and Martha Rogers. Of his sons Owen and
Jenkin nothing is known, except that they left the coun-
try at an early period. Azariah, a faithful soldier, also
soon disappeared. John, however, remained, was a
soldier and non-commissioned officer, and rose to a
lieutenant in Marion's Brigade. He was five times mar-
ried. His first wife was Saradi Booth, became the mother of
three children and died; his second wife, Mary Jones, lived
but three months; his thir4 wife was Isabella Allison, and
the 'mother of five children; his fourth wife was Sarah
Stephens, who had two children and died. His fifth
marriage was with Mrs. Mary Stubbs, the daughter of Wil-
liam Bridges, and widow of John Stubbs. One daughter was
the fruit of this last marriage. Of these eleven children,
all except two died unmarried, and most of them when
quite young. The two who survived were both daugh-
ters. Mary, whose mother was Miss Allison, became the
wife of Lemuel Pearson. A daughter of this pair, Rachel
by name, became the wife of Meekin Townsend, and the
mother of a large family. Her sons are R. E., C. P. and
Walter Townsend. She died only a few years ago.
Another daughter of Mrs. Pearson was the wife of the
late Joel L. Easterling. An only son, William Pearson,
who went to his reward a number of years ago, was the
father of the late John D. Pearson, Mrs. J. F. Breeden,
Mrs. J. L. Stubbs and Mrs. W. Bennett.

Eliza, the other daughter of John David, was the fruit
of the union with the widow Stubbs. Mr. David was six-
ty-two, and Mrs. David forty-six when the babe was born
and both lived to see her a full-grown woman, and the
mother was for many years an inmate of the daughter's
house after she had become the wife of Wm. D. Bridges.
To Mrs. Bridges the Lord gave no children of her own,
but many another's child had reason to love her and honor
her memory. She passed to her reward, in the eightieth
year of her life.

History of Marlboro County, 25

So that so far as this writer knows there is no descendant
of Jenkin. David, the progenitor of this branch of the fam-
ily in Marlboro, bearing the David name. All bearing the
name are descended from Owen, and yet the descendants
of both Owen and Jenkin are numerous. Many interest-
ing traditions of the family must, for lack of space, be
omitted from these pages, but in connection with the
David family another name deserves to be mentioned.
It has been stated that Joshua David, of revolutionary
fame, married Lucy, a daughter of Thomas Hodge. Lon-
den Harwell, another soldier of the Revolution, married
her sister Mary. Both were natives of Robertson County,
North Carolina, and after marriage removed to Marlboro.
Londen Harwell, at the age of thirteen years, became a
soldier of Marion's Brigade in 1777, and remained stead-
fastly with him until peace was declared, when he returned
home, married Mary Hodge and settled in Marlboro.
An only son was born to them, Londen Harwell, Jr., who
married Mary Britton, a daughter of John Britton (called
Jacky) a soldier of Marion's, and a member of the family
who lived in Britton's Neck. Of this marriage the only
child was Elizabeth, who married Philip Miller from
Frankfort on the Main. The old soldier, Londen Har-
well, died in July 1838. Mrs. Miller, his granddaugh-
ter, is now eighty-three years old, and the mother of
nine children, Mary; wifeof ex-judge J. H. Hudson; Anna;
Martha, wife of John R. McKellar; Lizzie, wife of J. B.
Adams; Sue, wife of J. R. 'Newton; and four sons, John,
Henry, Philip and George. John and Henry each lost a
leg in the late war, John at Chickamauga and Henry at
Knoxville, worthy descendants of good Whig ancestors.
Narcissa, the oldest daughter of J. H. Hudson and the
wife of Dr. J. L. Jordan, is the mother of Mrs. Mary West,
who is also the mother of an infant, Annie, thus making
the unusual record of five living generations.

CHAPTER III.
Evans, and Other Families.

There is need to still linger among the old Welshmen,
who first planted civilization and Christianity upon the
banks of the Pee Dee. There are several names in the
list of the first settlers, as given in a former chapter, that
have been prominent in the history of the country, and
exercised a large influence in guiding public affairs.
Among these, Thomas Evans is worthy of mention. He
had a son Thomas, who was called **01d Col. Tom"
Evans, who lived on the road from Long Bluff to the
Marlboro old Court-house. He was a prominent
soldier of the Revolution, a member of the Legislature,
and was the father of that incorruptible jurist and states-
man, Josiah J. Evans, than whom Marlboro has had few
sons more justly honored and revered. Judge Evans
was born upon Marlboro soil in 1786. He was among
the early students of the South Carolina College, gradu-
ating in the third class in 1808. Three years later he was
admitted to the bar; was made Commissioner in Equity
for Cheraw District in 1812, and in the same year was
elected a member of the House of Representatives for
Marlboro District. After the expiration of his term of
service he married Miss DeWitt, at Society Hill, and be-
came from that time a citizen of Darlington, and soon had
a large practice in his profession. In 18 16 he was elected
to the Legislature from Darlington, and in the year fol-
lowing was made solicitor for the judicial circuit in which
he lived. In 1829 he was elected a circuit judge, and
continued to preside in the courts of the State with emi-
nent dignity, courtesy, and legal knowledge and accuracy,
until 1852, when he was elected to the United States Sen-

History of Marlboro County. 27

late. If wise and pure as a judge, he was not less faithful
and true as a Senator. Senator Hale, of New Hampshire,
widely differing from him in political opinions, said of
him, "that he realized to his mind more fully than any
other man whom he had met on the floor of the Senate,
the ideal of an old Roman Senator." His career in the
Senate was suddenly cut short by the stroke of death on
the 6th of May, 1858. His practice as a lawyer, his duties
as solicitor and judge, and a large planting interest in
Marlboro, brought him frequently among the sons and
daughters of his old neighbors. So that we never lost
our interest in him, and when death struck him down,
Darlington, his adopted home, was scarcely more be-
reaved than Marlboro. Since his death, although for a
time none of his sons or grandsons were residents of the
county, yet, their large planting interests within it has
brought some of them into such constant contact with
our people that they have felt almost like citizens, while
in the late years several of the grandsons have become
citizens, and one of them, Mr. W. DeWitt Evans, has
served his constituents, first in the House of Representa-
tives, then as Senator, and now as Railroad Commissioner.

Judge Evans had a brother, who came to be known as
*'Col. Tom" Evans, whose name is entitled to appear
among the historic names of the County. Col. Evans saw
active service in the war of 181 2, and was for some time
in active duty as Major in Col. John Rutledge*s 3d Regi-
ment of State troops, and upon the retirement or trans-
fer of Col. Rutledge he was placed in command of the
regiment. He also rendered civil service to his country,
having served a term in the Legislature.

The nam^ of Samuel Wilds appears among these early
settlers. From Bishop Gregg we learn that he "had two
sons, John and Abel. The latter was known before the
Revolution as old Col. Wilds. His residence was on the
east bank of the river, nearly opposite Long Bluff. John,

28 History of Marlboro County.

the other brother, was the father of John and Samuel.
The latter became the distinguished Judge Wilds, a man
of remarkable character and brilliant talents." "His
brother, John, who died prematurely, was considered
even more talented." Judge O'Neal, in his "Bench and
Bar," presumes that Judge Wilds was born in Darlington,
but Gregg, in his history, makes him a native of Marlboro.
Nor need our honored sister Darlington grudge us this
distinction. She did have his residence and brilliant life
— his accomplished daughter, Mrs. R. D. W. Mclver, for
some years, and his noble widow, who afterwards became
Mrs. Dr. Smith — to adorn her best circles as patterns in
all that was good. And if our Darlington cousins will
allow it, let them be reminded that Peter Wilds, a scion
of the same stock, transplanted from Marlboro, a flower
that bloomed out for Darlington a precious fruitage not
yet ceased bearing; and that Darlington has been greatly
since honored, in giving birth to another Samuel Wilds,
in the person of that noble, polished, valiant soldier, who
led one of her first companies into the war between the
States, and who rose to be the beloved Major in his regi-
ment; and, scarred and wounded returned, to his hospitable
home, to see his property swept away, and his country re-
duced and impoverished; yet lived only long enough to
prove that he had gone through the struggle, and come
out, the same pure-minded, splendid gentleman that went
in. Scorning anything low or wrong, and then while yet
in his prime, like his distinguished kinsman, fell asleep
lamented by all, and by none more than his comrades in
arms.

Among the first members of the old church at Welsh
Neck were three Harry's, Thomas, Daniel and John, with
their wives, and in a parochial election held in 1768,
Gregg gives in the list of voters, Thomas and two David
Harry's. It is inferred therefore that one or more
of them lived and reared families on Marlboro ground.

History of Marlboro Couhty, 29

It is known that the late Mrs. Samuel Sparks was Miss
Ann Harry, that her father died when she was a child,
and his widow married David Mandeville; and the first
wife of the late Jesse David, as we have seen, was a Miss
Harry, and a sister of hers was married to Mr. Sam
Crosland, who went to Kentucky, and these latter ladies
were not sisters to Mrs. Sparks. It is therefore likely
that there were more than one of these Harry's among
the early settlers of Marlboro. The name is extinct here
now.

It is said that the father of Judge Evans married Miss
Elizabeth Hodges, who was a sister of Captain George
Hodges, of lower Marlboro. There seems to have been
a large family of Hodges upon the Pee Dee. Few
families gave more soldiers to the Revolution than this
one. We have already seen that the maternal ancestor
of the present David family in the county was of this
name. Capt. George Hodges married Sarah, a daughter
of George Cherry, who was a prominent citizen of Ma-^
rion county, then called Liberty. The writer has a dis-^
tinct recollection of Captain Hodges. He commanded a
company in the same regiment in which Evans was ma-
jor in the War of 1812. My friend. Dr. J. H. Lane,
placed in my hands a manuscript record of courts mar-
tial and general orders, extending from July 15 to Octo-
ber 22, 1812, in which the names of Evans and Hodges
frequently occur as members of these courts, and as
otherwise connected with the affairs of the regiment, and
in a careful reading of the entire record no mention is
made of either that would indicate the slightest suspi-
cion of any dereliction of duty: and of the captain, as
well as of his company, which was partly at least of
Marlboro men, no member is named as having been ar-
raigned before a court martial during these three months;
while a good many of other commands were tried, con-
victed and sentenced; and whatever other sentence of

30 History of Marlboro County.

punishment was imposed by the courts, they seldom
failed to order that the "daily grog ration" should be
withheld. Was it that Hodges' men so loved "grog" that
no misdemeanor was indulged in lest the precious ration
should be withheld? or are we to infer that the behavior
of his men was superior to others r* or was it that his dis-
cipline and administration of affairs was*so sound, that
there was no occasion for punishment? The testimony
of tradition says, that while firm and strict, he was kind
and indulgent, and commanded the respect and affection
of his men. If his men feared his displeasure as the
boys did, when he shook his gray locks at us for any
misbehavior in church, good order would reign in his
presence at least. He was spared to see a large family
grow up to maturity. Mrs. Hodges and one of the
young ladies returning to their home from a visit in the
neighborhood were dashed against a tree by a frightened
horse, and Mrs. Hodges was killed and the young lady
injured. The "old captain," heart broken, lingered a few
months in his sorrow and joined his companion in the
beyond. The young men in the Brownsville community
of this name, and Messrs. P. A. and J. L. Hodges are
grandsons of this excellent pair, and so, likewise, was R.
H. Hodges, who was a member of the recent Constitu-
tional Convention, and who died while the Convention
was in session.

A daughter of "old Col. Tom" Evans and a sister of
the Judge, Miss Rebecca, married Charles Irby, who was
also a prominent member of the Brownsville community.
About 1826 Mr. Irby was elected a member of the Legis-
lature. The writer, though but a boy, can remember the
sudden death of the grand, portly old man, and how the
neighborhood was moved in sympathy with his large fam-
ily of sons and daughters in their bereavement; and how
they were missed in society and schools of the neighbor-
hood, when, a few years later, the family removed to Ala-
bama. The oldest son, John, married Miss Catharine

History of Marlboro County, 31

Allison, and soon after died in the prime of his young
manhood, leaving an only child who grew to womanhood,
and became the first wife of the late Henry Rogers, and
mother of Thomas Irby Rogers, of Bennettsville, and
several other sons and daughters. Mr. Irby's widow,
after some years, became the first wife of John C. Bethea,
of Marion, and the mother of the well-known excellent
farmer, of the Buck Swamp region, Ed. C. Bethea.

Another sister of Judge Evans married Christopher
Pegues, from whom descended a numerous connection,
and whose influence tended largely to shape affairs on the
upper Pee Dee, in the neighborhood of Cheraw. The
grandfather of Mr. Pegues, named Claudius, "came to Pee
Dee about 1760, and settled on the east side of the river,
not far below the State line; was of French descent, mar-
ried a Miss Butler in Charleston, moved first to George-
town, and from thence came to this region, and at once
took an active part in the affairs of the country." His two
sons, Claudius and William, reached manhood. The lat-
ter married Miss Elizabeth Murphy and settled on the
the west side of the river. His second wife was a Miss
Gardner. He is said to have been a man of cultivated
tastes, and a staunch Whig and suffered much from Tory
hate and robbery. Claudius married Miss Marcia Mur-
phy and settled on the Marlboro side of the Pee Dee.
He, too, was a man of fine character, active in all that per-
tained to the welfare of his country; was a captain in the
war for independence, an ordinary for the district of Che-
raw, more than once a representative in the Legislature,
and a county court justice for Marlboro. This family
has, from their first settlement in the country, been prom-
inent in every laudable enterprise. Two sons of this
name have been honored ministers of the South Carolina
Conference. Randolph, noble soul, of manly bearing,
gentle spirit, in the prime of his usefulness, was "gathered
to his fathers." While Wesley, an older brother, with sil-
vered locks, stood yet longer on the heights of Zion and
warned men to repent. A number of young men bearing
the honored name live among us, to yet reflect luster
upon their worthy ancestry

CHAPTER IV.

Other Early Settlers.

In 1743, a name jippears among the early grantees
of land in the Welsh Neck which was destined to
be prominent in the history of Marlboro — Nicholas
Rogers, a Welshman. He died in 1759, but left a son
Benjamin, who lived on the west side of the Pee
Dee, a few miles below Cheraw — an ardent Whig, of ex-
cellent character, and held in high esteem by his neigh-
bors. Of his sons, mention may be made of two as prom-
inent citizens of Marlboro. Of a third, Nicholas, we
have heard, but know nothing. A daughter married a
Mr. Pearson, and lived some miles above Cheraw. John
Rogers, a son of the first Ben, married Miss Mary Griffin,
and lived and died at what is now known as the Dr.
McLeod place. He was a member the Legislature, 1808-
1809. The fruit of this marriage was three sons, and as
many daughters. The first of these daughters married
Dr. Francis Lee, and went West. Another was the first
wife of Gen. McQueen, who was a lawyer at Bennetts-
ville, and a member of Congress for several terms, and
resigned his seat when the State seceded from the Union.
A third daughter. Miss Martha, a lady of splendid form,
fine character, and superior intellect, became the first
wife of Dr. Alexander McLeod, a native of North Caro-
lina, a successful popular physician, a member of the
Secession Convention, the father of several sons, and a
daughter who became the wife of Capt. C. M. Weatherly.
The sons of Mr. Rogers were John M., Benjamin and
Robert. John was talented and popular; elected to the
Legislature in 1828, but in the midst of his career of
promise he was stricken in death. Robert, also, was a no-

History of Marlboro County, 33

ble, brilliant young man, just grown, when, by an accident-
al shot from his own gun, he was instantly killed. Hardly
any young man in the community was more beloved, or
could have been more sincerely mourned. The other son,
B. N. Rogers, married Miss McQueen, of Chesterfield.

The good man left a family of sons and daughters to
mourn his departure to a better state.

Another son of the first Benjamin Rogers was Col. Ben,
who resided in Brownsville. By his first marriage he be-
came the father of nine daughters, and nine sons were given
him as the fruit of a second marriage with Mrs. Wickam,
who also had a daughter by her first marriage. This daugh-
ter first married John C. Ellerbe, of Marion, and after his
death she became the second wife of Dr. B. K. Henagan.
Most fondly does the writer remember the manly form of
Col. Ben Rogers, as the neighbor of his father and a friend
to all the boys; universally respected, full of energy and
push, even in his old age. He was an early sheriff of
Marlboro, a Colonel of Militia, a State Senator, a patron
of schools, a friend of the churches, and beloved by his
servants. He was young in years when the struggle with
the mother country came on, but with the ardor of youth
and the enthusiasm of an impulsive spirit he drew his
sword in the cause of liberty, and to his dying day his
face beamed and his eye kindled with an ardent devotion
to his country's weal. He was killed at last by a falling
tree, the felling of which he was himself directing for
plantation purposes. Noble, polite, generous, public
spirited, grand old man, we saw him buried, and it is a
sad, yet. precious privilege, occasionally, to visit his tomb
at old Brownsville, where he sleeps between the bodies
of the two women whom he loved with the tenderness
and devotion that was the admiration of all who knew
him in his hospitable home.

His first born son, whom we called **Major Ben," sleeps
in that same consecrated plat of ground. He was for

34 V History of Marlboro County,

awhile in command of the "Lower Battalion" of Marlboro
militia. A man of calm, cool temperament, highly respect-
ed by his neighbors, they induced him to stand for a seat
in the State Legislature in 1846, and he was elected and
served; but he would consent no more to ask his country-
men to send him to Columbia, preferring the enjoyments
of his own comfortable, hospitable home to the turmoil
and excitement of political life. B. B. Rogers, courteous
friend, successful planter, his death made a sad void in
the community. "Where are the nine?" One only at
this writing remains above the earth. Col. John Rogers,
of Florence. His silken hair of snowy white proclaims
him an old man. Like most of his brothers, he is remem-
bered as a splendid specimen of manhood, the pride of his
parents, the soul of politeness, the life of his circle. When
he shall rest in the tomb the last of his generation will
have gone. But another generation is already upon the
scene, doing credit to the name they bear. The preselit
Sheriff of Marlboro (1890) bearing the family name, Ben, is
the first born of Maj. B. B. Rogers and Miss Elizabeth
Allison, a beautiful woman, the youngest of four sisters.
The others were Eliza, who became the second wife of
Maj. Rogers; Catharine, who first married John Irby, and
after his early death, became the wife of John C,
Bethea; Caroline, who married Charles Brown, and be-
came the mother of Mrs. T. L. Crosland. Mrs. Allison
was Miss Betsy Whittington, and first married a Mr. Mc-
Tier and had two sons, William and Robert, and a
daughter, Mrs. Henry DeBerry, who, for a long time»
lived at Parnassus. Both McTier and Allison are. extinct
names in Marlboro. There was a young son, Tom Allison,
whose death in his brilliant boyhood profoundly grieved
the hearts of his comrades and kinsmen.

The Sparks name is to be set down as one of the ear-
liest in this region. Four brothers, Daniel, Charles, Sam-
uel and Harry, are said to have come from Virginia to the

History of Marlboro County, 35

Pee Dee. Harry, a noted Whig, was killed by a band of
Tories in the swamps of Three Creeks. Daniel, the eldest
brother, settled at first not far from and on the east side
from Bennettsville,but afterwards moved to Red Hill. He
married Miss Martha Pearce, a lady of fine character, who
lived to old age, retaining both her mental and physical
vigor in a marked degree. Full of good works, she ulti-
mately sank into the grave lamented by all. Three sons
and four daughters blessed the lot of this pair.

Samuel, who spent his four-score years and more in
Marlboro, first married Miss Allison, and had a son,
Charles, who died young. His second wife was Miss Ann
Harry. Two children were born to them, the late Capt.
A. D. Sparks, and Mrs. Keitt, whose brave husband, L.
M. Keitt, poured out his life's blood upon the red soil of
Virginia in the late war.

One sister of Mr. Sparks married John Crosland of
Marlboro. Another (Lucy) first married Alex Stubbs
and afterwards Thomas Stubbs, and a daughter, Mrs. E.
W. Goodwin, was the fruit of the latter union. A third
sister married William Pouncy, as stated (elsewhere in these
pages. Martha, the other sister, died unmarried.

The Crosland family is another of those which dates
back to near the middle of the last century. Edward
Crosland, an ophan boy, of Virginia, thrown upon his
own resources, devoloped an enterprising, adventurous
spirit. He came to Carolina about 1760; and united him-
self with a party of kindred spirits in the central part of
the province, and traveled extensively in North Carolina,
went across the mountains into Kentucky, from thence to
the Ohio river, down that stream to the Mississippi and
thence to New Orleans. Returning to North Carolina
Mr. Crosland married a daughter of Samuel Snead, and
settled near the boundary line. Subsequently he came to
Marlboro and settled not far from Gardner's Bluff and
reared a large family. His sons were John, Samuel, Dan-

36 History of Marlboro County.

iel M., Israel, David, George, Philip and Dr. William and
several daughters. A number of his descendants are
now numbered among the respected citizens of the Coun-
ty, while many more have yielded to the inexorable law
of destiny, and have gone to people other more western
States and build up other communities towards the set-
ting sun.

Another name no longer found in Marlboro is entitled
to mention, not only because of the part the family bore
in the early history of the country, but because the blood
has coursed in veins that have borne other names and
made honorable records on history's page. In 1758 Thom-
as Ayer came to Pee Dee. A native of Ireland, he spent
some time in Virginia before coming to Carolina. It is
said that he settled on the east side of Pee Pee river a
little below Hunt's Bluff, set up a trading establishment
and made money. An ardent Whig, he risked life and
fortune in the cause of liberty. Lewis Malone, the
father of the late Gen. L. M. Ayer, of Anderson, and of
Mrs. Judge A. P. Aldrich, was a son of the grand old
Irish patriot. So also was the venerable Hartwell Ayer,
who lived at the place where J. B. Breeden recently died.
Hartwell Ayer had a son, William, who left a family near
Fayetteville, N. C, and three daughters, Mrs. Long of
sainted memory, Mrs. J. B. Breeden and Mrs. Marshall;
noble women of noble deeds, farewell!

There were a number of other families that settled on
the Pee Dee about the middle of the eighteenth century,
who contributed their full quota to the civilization and
opening up of the country, and have left their impress
upon its welfare, but in most instances the names have
become extinct, although in some cases the blood flows
in their descendants of other names in Marlboro; in other
instances the names no longer known here are honorably
borne in adjoining counties or distant States. Bishop
Gregg has done a good work in recording them in his

History of Marlboro County, 37

history. His name, among them, is worthy of enduring
remembrance, alongside such as Murphy, Hicks, Wilson,
Lide, Robertson, Allison, Bedgegood, Lewis, Luke and
others as worthy of mention. Pioneers in a new land,
they lived in troublous times, and the hardships of sub-
duing an unbroken forest to cultivation, opening roads,
building bridges, erecting churches and school-houses,
and preparing the way for liberty, prosperity, education
and religion to take root and thrive in the new world as
it had never done in the old — is never to be forgotten by
a grateful posterity.

CHAPTER V.

Other Brownsville Families.

Since reference has frequently been made to this ancient
community it is fit that we linger among some of the
older names that impressed themselves upon its society.
With the main body of Welshmen, or soon after, came
John Brown, born near Burlington, N. J., and brought
up near Frankfort in the neighborhood of Philadelphia.
He came South and united with the colony about the
Neck. H-e was ordained to the gospel ministry May 7,
1750, and succeeded Philip James as pastor of the church
at Welsh Neck ; but, for some reason did not continue
long in that relation, but devoted his ministry to other
regions, and was instrumental in organizing a church at
Cashway Ferry, with a membership on both sides of the
river. Either he or his son, Samuel, had settled on
Muddy Creek and built a mill some years before the
Revolutionary War began, and near the mill, on both sides
of the Creek, a number of prosperous families were set-
tled. Ardent Whigs, it soon became a stronghold of lib-
erty, and the prominence of the Brown family about this
time gave name to the Brownsville community. It is not
known how many sons the old pastor had, or when he died:
It is, however, a well-established tradition that the promi-
nent family of this name on the west side of Pee Dee in the
Mars Bluff and Florence region are descended from this old
Welsh preacher; and that John and Jeremiah, grandsons
of his, moved to Alabama and became prominent in that
State. William, another grandson of the old pastor, and
a son of Samuel, lived and died near the mill and in sight
of the old church, which, after the war, was moved out to
the present location. Mr. Brown had four sons and a
daughter. The daughter marrried a Mr. Law, of Darling-

History of Marlboro County. 39

ton. The four sons were young men of excellent character.
Samuel died unmarried. James lived but a short time af-
ter his marriage and left no son. William Brown, one of
my early schoolmasters, went West. Charles Brown mar-
ried Miss Allison, and in the person of Mrs. T. L. Crosland
and her interesting young family, alone flows the blood
of the men whose characters and influence gave name to
an extensive township of lower Marlboro.

William Magee, or as the name was sometimes spelled,
McGee, was an early settler in this portion of country. A
daughter of his, Martha, became the wife of Rev. Evan
Pughand a daughter by this marriage, Elizabeth by name,
was the excellent wife of Mr. Hugh Lide, of Darlington,
from whom a splendid family descended. Another daugh-
ter of Mr. Magee was the mother of the late Capt.
Hodges, of Marlboro. James, a son of Mr. Magee, lived
at what has since been known as the Bruce place, about
a mile below the site of the old Brownsville church, and
there reared a large family. A son, Hartwell, moved
into the upper part of the State. Another^ Zacheus,
went West. The youngest daughter was the first wife of
the writer's fatherj William Thomas. And among the
relatives of the first family of children, who sometimes
visited us. Rev. William Kennedy, a noted preacher of
the S. C. Conference, is remembered. A son of his, the
polished F. M. Kennedy, was not less distinguished at a
later date. Mr. Magee was noted for his correct Chris-
tian character, was a conscientious Whig, and a member
of Marion's brigade. He came near losing his life on
the day after Col. Kolb was killed, being on the road
from his home to Long Bluff on a military mission to the
Colonel when Lewis M. Ayer, whose sister Mr. Magee
married, at the risk of his own life, and with a narrow es-
cape, intercepted and saved. He lived to see the opening
years of the present century, and died suddenly, sitting
in his chair with the open Bible upon his knee.

40 History of Marlboro County,

The magistrate of the community and the State Senator,
seventy years ago, was Robeson Carloss. He came from
Virginia about 1790 and settled on the Pee Dee and mar-
ried the beautiful and accomplished daughter of Baron
Poelnitz, who was at the time, the young widow of Col.
Evans, and had been the wife, first of Charles Stuart.
The Carloss name is extinct in Marlboro, but through the
late Mrs. Light Townsend, the blood flows in the veins of
several of our excellent families, viz.: J. R. Townsend,
John Irby. T. E. Dudley and F. W. Kinney. So, too, the
name of Poelnitz is unknown among us only as it is rep-
resented in the above good people. It is fit that another
name should be mentioned in connection with Carloss,
not because there was any kinship, but because 'Squire Car-
loss exercised a large influence over Mason Lee, the great-
est oddity of his day, and was the executor of his will, if
not the writer of it. Lee was a bachelor of considerable
property, owning a large plantation on the river just be-
low Cashway Ferry. His will directed that the principal
part of his property be given to the States of Tennessee
and South Carolina. That if the Wiggins, his natural
heirs at law, should contest the will, his executors should
employ the best legal talent in the State to defend it, and
never allow the Wiggins to have any part of it,"so long as
wood grew or water ran." The will was contested upon
the ground of mental imbecility, and such *4egal lights"
as Chancellor Harper, Wm. C. Preston, Judge Evans, Col.
Blanding and Col. J. R. Irvin exercised their great pow-
ers on the one side or the other in the trial, a record of
which is "in the books." The case terminated at last in the
establishment of the will. The grave of Lee is another spot
atthe*'old Brownsville graveyard," where memory lingers.
It was covered over with brick made in the neighborhood
about 1820, and fifty years ago a tree, nearly a foot in di-
ameter, which had been killed by lightning, fell diagonally
across the grave, displacing a few but not breaking any

History of Marlboro County, 4 1

bricks, and to-day those old brick lie in good shape, firm
and strong above the dust of Mason Lee. Such were his
singularities, and so much was said of him in my boyhood
days that it seems to me as if I used to see him ride past the
door on his way to Carloss' on a mule whose "ears had
been shaved off at the skull," seated upon a saddle "hewed
out of a hollow gum," his feet in "grapevine stirrups," a
blanket "tied over his shoulders," with a "coon skin cap
upon his head," and yet Lee was buried two or three years
before I was born. The earless mules, once his, did sur-
vive their old master for years, and their appearance
upon the road was real.

Let us linger yet longer among the old families of this
ancient community. Emanuel Coxe came at an early
day, long before the war with the mother country
and when the conflict came, himself and several sons
enrolled themselves on the side of liberty. Bishop
Gregg mentions James, John, Josiah, Sgimuel and
William. Thejtradition as received from our fellow citizen,
Mr. James E. Coxe, names all these except Josiah, but
mentions three others as sons of Emanuel and as having
been soldiers of the Revolution, viz.: Ezekiel, Jesse and
Benjamin. It may be that the name Josiah, as given by
Gregg, is a mistake, and ought to be Jesse, or one of the
others. It is inferred that whoever was meant by Josiah,
means a son of this old Brownsville patriarch, because he-
is enrolled as a member of Capt. Moses Pearson's com-
pany, who was himself a resident of this community.
However that may be, it is beyond question that few
families in the Pee Dee region, numbering no more men
has furnished a larger proportion to the cause of inde-
pendence. Samuel Coxe, the son of Emanuel, and the
grandfather of our friend, Jas. E., was quite noted for his
valor and services. Crossing over Brown's mill-dam one
night a Tory tried to shoot him, but his gun missing fire,.
Coxe arrested and carried him a prisoner to the American,

42 History of Marlboro County,

camp. Mr. Coxe lived to a great age, until most of his
comrades were gone. His neighbors on the fourth of
July sometime in the forties, honored him with the first
place at a barbecue. This was his last dinner, for in the
afternoon he mounted his horse, and crossing over the
same mill-dam, where his Tory neighbor had sought his life,
he had nearly reached his home a mile or so beyond,
when his horse took fright and the old patriot fell off,
and in a few days was no more. Two of his sons, Capt.
Moses E. and Ezra, were soldiers of the war 1812-14. The
former never married, but was an excellent citizen, who
lived to see yet another war of greater dimension,
and died a few years after peace was made. Ezra
married Miss Ann B. Bass, of Marion, and was the father
of James E., Dr. Robt. A.j and Edwin M., noble boy who
fought his way through many a conflict in the late war
till he was made a prisoner, and died at Newport News
only the day before he was to have been released from
his captivity.

John Coxe, another son of Emanuel, married a Miss
Mixon and was the father of eight children. A daughter,
Fanny, married John Hood and became the mother of a
large family of that name yet represented in the old
neighborhood. A son,* Eli, first married a Miss Stroud
and raised a large family. Charles, Daniel and Hugh all
. growing old, yet survive. His second wi-fe, Miss Ann
Haskew, yet lives, but had no children. Eli Coxe also
rendered faithful service in the war of 1812, in the com-
pany of Capt. Tristram Bethea, and if he saw no blood-
shed he retained a vivid and intelligent recollection of
events connected with his soldier life. Honest, truthful
and correct, he went to the grave respected and lamented
by his neighbors. A brother of his lived just across the
creek and raised a large family also, and left a blameless
reputation behind him when he died.

History of Marlboro County. 43

William Coxe, another son of Emanuel, was perhaps
more distinguished for his revolutionary record than either
of his brothers because his services were more continuous.
He was one of those patriotic "sons of liberty'* who could
not be content at his fireside so long as the enemy trod
the shores of the New World. If not needed in one
place, he would get a transfer to a more active sphere.
And yet, when the war was over no man more loved the
sweets of peace. No more inoffensive man has lived
upon the waters of Muddy Creek than he. He was twice
married and was the father of twenty children. Two sons
and nine grandsons of his had places in companies raised
in Marlboro for Confederate service, and no one knows
how many more from among those who had made their
homes in other States of the South. A son-in-law, Jere-^
miah Coxe, a grandson of the venerable Samuel, went intO'
the Seminole War of 1835 ^"^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ service away
from his home, in the savannas of Florida. The late
Michael Coxe, a fine workman in iron especially, and who-
made some excellent improvements in the plow, and was
well and favorably known in Masonic circles for a long^
time, was a son of this venerable patriarch and soldier
of 1776. The Mr. James Coxe who married Miss Hubbard
and raised a family in the Brightsville region,was a grand-
son of old Mr. Samuel Coxe. His father's name was
Aaron, who married a Miss Spears, aunt of Lewis and
Harris Spears, of Hebron. There were other children who
went West.

The Townsend family, which has been prominent in
Marlboro for many years may also be placed among the
original settlers of this portion of the country. The first
to come, so far as our information goes, was Light, who
is put down as an active soldier of the Revolution. He is
said to have been the father of two children, John and
Rhoda, both of whom the writer distinctly recollects as
among the old people, in the days of his youth. Light

44 History of Marlboro County,

Townsend was the only son of John who remained long in
Marlboro. He was a man of indomitable energy, and large
native intellect. He gathered a large fortune by his in-
dustry and skill, and left his young family in comfortable
circumstances. Another son of old John was long and
favorably known as a member of the South Carolina Con-
ference and left a family in the upper part of the State.
The late Mrs. Kinney, mother of Capt. Frank Kinney and
his excellent sisters, was a daughter; and the second Wife
of Jabish N. Townsend was another. Besides these there
were other children born to*'Uncle John and Aunt Kissy,"
as the venerable couple were familiarly called, who moved
West. The larger portion of this numerous connection,
however, are descended from Rhoda, through the three
sons, Benjamin, Jabish and Samuel. The former was the
ancestor of the young men of the name now living a few
miles above Bennettsville. The brilliant Col. Knox Liv-
ingston, of Bennettsville, is a grandson of Samuel Town-
send, who lived for a long time in the very heart of the
Brownsville community, and when an old man removed
to Florida with a large family of sons and daughters.
Jabish Townsend, the other son of Rhoda, married Bettie
Spears and a numerous family came from this union.
Meekin, the father of Judge C. P. Townsend, and others,
was a man of keen intellect, popular manners, and great
energy. He served his people quite acceptably as sheriff
and died in the strength and vigor of manhood. Maj. B
D. Townsend, so long and favorably known in Bennetts-
ville as a merchant and patron of temperance, and after-
wards as a citizen of Society Hill and a successful rail-
road president, was also a son of Jabish T. Townsend. So,
too, was Samuel J., who successfully practiced law in Ben-
nettsville and was elected to the Legislature. Of quick
mind and ready speech, he seemed capable of large attain-
ments, but was cut off in the midst of his career by the
relentless reaper. Jabish N., father of John C. and others.

History of Marlboro Coujity, 45

was also a son of this old man; another son went West.
Besides these the Galloways and some of the Pearsons are
descended from the same source. It is indeed amazing how
many of our people, and how many others, West and
South, may trace their lineage back to Hilson's Bay and
to the first Light, who left but two children to bear his
name, to the generations coming after him.

CHAPTER VI
Pearson Family, and Others.

We begin this chapter with the name Pearson, which
has been largely represented in all the years of our his-,
tory. The first was Aaron, who came from one of the
English settlements of Virginia in colonial times. He
was the father of two sons, Aaron and Moses. The latter
owned, and lived upon, what was called the "big planta-
tion," now known as "Lowdon." He was prominent in
Revolutionary affairs. First, as Lieutenant in Hicks*
Regiment in 1780, and in the two following years a cap-
tain in Benton's Regiment. After the war his name fre-
quently appeared upon the records of the old Brownsville
church, as well as upon those of the county courts. He
was one of the first justices of Marlboro and seems to
have presided over the court, and before the county was
organized he held position and took part in judicial
affairs in the old district of Cheraw. He is said to have
been the father of fifteen children, eight sons and seven
daughters. One daughter became Mrs. Haskew, another
Mrs. Galloway, and the Johns are some way connected
with this old family. Thonias, one of the sons, was the
ancestor of the Messrs. Moses and Zacheus Pearson,
Mrs. Joel Easterling, John D. Pearson and Mrs. Rachel
Townsend are descended from another.

Aaron, the other son of Aaron the first, was also a sol-
dier of the Revolution. He married a Miss Spears and
another Aaron was the fruit of this marriage. He in turn
married Miss Ann Vining, who became the mother of
several daughters and two sons, Thomas, who moved to
Alabama, and the late John Pearson, of Bruten's Fork,
who, at an advanced age, passed away only a few yeara

History of Marlboro County, 47

ago. It is fit that credit be given him for much informa-
tion embodied within these pages. His health was re-
markably preserved, and his vigor of body and mind, when
past four-score, was a marvel. Not only did he love to
live over in thought the scenes and enjoyments of his
earlier years, and to tell of his experiences as a soldier of
the war of 181 2, but he manifested a lively interest in
passing events, and the employments of people of
another generation.

The Haskews mentioned in connection with the Pear-
sons are worthy of a more special notice. Two of these
old men are remembered. John is entitled to a place
among the old heroes of the Revolution. His name is
upon Marion's muster roll as "John Askew," the initial
H omitted, and yet no difficulty was found in proving his
claim to a pension when so many living witnesses were
found to testify to his presence and services. Quiet, in-
offensive old man ! At a great age he was thrown from a
vehicle in which he was riding and received fatal injuries.
Thomas H. Haskew is a grandson. Zacheus was the
other brother, a younger man than John, and more suc-
cessful in the affairs of ^his life. He was the father of
the excellent ladies, Mrs. Donaldson and Mrs. Bruce,
from both of whom many good young people have
sprung. A sister of these old men married a Mr. Britton,
a son of whom, Hugh Britton, is remembered as one of
the fine-looking young men of Brownsville society in the
thirties.

In 1756 James Sweeny is supposed to have come to the
Pee Dee. In some way the name was subsequently
changed to Henagan. James Sweeny had a son, Barney,
who had two sons, Darby and John. Darby was the
father of B. K., Ephraim L. and Mrs. McCollum and
Mrs. Lewis E. Stubbs. Dr. B. K. Henagan was not only
prominent as a practicing physician fifty years ago, but
as a politician also. In 1834 his people elected him to

48 History of Marlboro County

the State Senate and the Legislature elected him Lieuten*
ant-Governor, and upon the death of Governor Noble,
he was sworn in and filled out the unexpired term. He sub-
sequently moved to Marion and was sent to the legisla-
ture again. Dr. Henagan's first wife wasa Miss Gibson, an
excellent lady, who became the mother of four sons and
two daughters. One of these became the fourth wife of
the late A. G. Johnson. The other married a Mr. Northrop.
Only one of the splendid sons remains, Robert, who re-
sides in the Florence neighborhood. Ephraim L. Hena-
gan, a brother of the Governor, was in his day one of
Marlboro's most popular men. He served a term in the
office of sheriff and never sought position any more, but
retired to his farm and devoted his great energies to the
education and maintenance of his large and interesting
family. His wife was Miss Nancy Mclnnis. Noble
woman ! Well she filled her place.

The first son in this family' was John W., who never
asked a position of the people that was not given him.
He was sheriff of the county and a member of the Legis-
lature in 1 860-61, and in the militia had risen to a briga-
dier's commission when the wai; between the States came
on; and at the first organization of the Eighth Regiment
of South Carolina Volunteers he was elected Lieutenant-
Colonel and at the reorganization became Colonel. In
one of the engagements in Virginia he fell into the hands
of the enemy and, like thousands more, died a prisoner.
True to his country, beloved by his command, respected
by his superiors, his death was a loss to his people.
Other members of this family live to honor the name.

Connected with the Henagans, in the writer's memory,
was Capt. Francis Miles, then an old man, in 1830. His
wife, Mrs. Lucretia, was an aunt to the Henagans. This
ancient couple had but a single child who bore the father's
name, Francis, a gifted, modest young man capable of
filling any position, but his great diffidence held him back.

History of Marlboro County, 49

When past the meridian of life he married his cousin,
Amanda Henagan, and an only daughter resides in Ala-
bama.

The Bruces have been for a long time in Brownsville.
Wright Bruce married a widow, Cooper, and two sons,
Joseph and Caleb, were given them, both of whom have
left families in the vicinity. The Procters, Johnsons and
Brigmans have also been upon the ground for many years.
At a later date came the Aliens, an excellent addition to
the population — a mother with two sons and several
daughters — from North Carolina. The two sons, Thomp-
son and Joel, by the modest exhibition of real worth, soon
took rank with the best citizens, and their sons after the.m
still hold it.

Thomas J. J. DuPre came about 1830, bringing a family
of young children, whose descendants are yet upon the
ground. Simon Emanuel long lived in the community
conducting a mercantile business. Of all these and more
much might be penned, but justice to other portions
of the county demands space in these pages. The names
of two Burkitts, Ephraim and Samuel, must close our
sojourn around the spot where our first infant steps were
made. These old Burkitts, humble men though they
were, wrote their names upon an honor roll with their
swords in the days that tried men*s souls, and, although
the name is no more answered to in Marlboro, yet it is fit
that it have mention here. Fifty years ago there were
two or three families living in this old neighborhood
bearing the name, but, like hundreds more, they have been
swept westward by the tide of emigration, and have gone
to people other States toward the setting sun. Let this
chapter be closed with the record that, for the first fifty
years of the present century, there was no place in Marl-
boro where the educational advantages were any better,
if so good, as in Brownsville. The old men whose names
have been given in these sketches sought the best talent

50 History of Marlboro County.

to teach their children, and, for a time, young people from
other and distant portions of the country crowded the
academy. Peter Stuart Ney, said to have been the French
marshal, was teaching here when Napoleon I. died on
Helena. Here Sinclair, the first husband of Mrs. Nancy
Cook, did faithful work. Kenneth Black, another noted
teacher, here swayed the birch. Brown and McNab,
young men "apt to teach," served their patrons well, and
here it was that Donald Matheson was first introduced to
the people of Marlboro, and introduced as an instructor
of youth. Fair-faced, ruddy young Scotchman he
was, but«in intelligent, cultured gentleman. The elements
of his character were of the robust, stern, muscular kind,
rather than of the gentle and winning. For wrong-doing,
meanness and vice he could have no patience, but loved
truth, justice and right. His manner, to some, appeared
distant, stern; even cold: Still he had a heart loving, true
and warm, ready to respond to the touch of friendship,
the cry of distress, the call of his country, and the needs
of his church.

CHAPTER VII.

Industrial Affairs of the Early Settlers.

Coming from different parts of the earth, some for the
sake of larger religious liberty, some for the love of adven-
ture, and all with a desire to better their financial circum-
stances, there was everywhere dependence upon individ-
ual exertion as well as generous co-operation. The coun-
try, wild and uncleared abounding in forests of splendid
timber, affording material for building and fencing pur-
poses, a fertile soil, especially upon the banks of the
river, with an abundance of fish and game. There was
much to do, and much promise of reward to industry and
skill. Fortunes were to be made by dint of perseverance
and toil; various industries were pursued to meet the
necessities of the times, and the sturdy settlers were equal
to the situation. Some of those who emigrated from
provinces further north are said to have driven their
domestic animals across the country to their new homes,
where abundant pasturage was found in the lowlands
upon which their stock could graze. Large droves of
cattle and horses ran wild through the forests and stock
raising was at once a profitable business. Entrapping
wild cattle and horses was an exciting yet profitable
sport. A large, strong pen constructed in the fork of two
branches or creeks, into which the frightened beasts were
driven and caught, was a simple and favorite plan. Across
the public road leading from Bennettsville to Blenheim,
and a mile above the latter place, there flows a branch
called ''Horse Pen," which, according to the statement of
the late venerable Daniel John, who was born, lived, and
died near its confluence with the Three Creeks, got its
name from a pen which was located at the fork and used

52 History of Marlboro County,

for the purpose of entrapping wild horses in those early
days. In other portions of the country immense herds
of cattle were kept; vast numbers of hogs were raised
largely upon the mast that fell from the trees, and driven
to Charleston and other markets and sold for the best
price that could be obtained, and supplies for the family
at home brought back. It is not surprising, if exercise
and hardship, in the saddle, upon the road, in the woods,
amid peril and exposure, should develop the daring, en-
during and faithful class of men who shared the dangers
and honors of Marion, and such as he, amid the swamps
of the Ifce Dee and Santee in times a little farther on in
the history of the country. It will be remembered, of
course, that slavery was an institution of the times, and
these early settlers sometimes bought and sold servants.
It is told of one of these old stock men that he "gave
seventy-seven seven-year-old steers for one woman."

Wheat and corn, especially the latter, was soon raised
in abundance, and many a boat laden with corn floated
down the Pefe Dee to the towns on the coast; and bacon
went to the markets by the same means, or was hauled
across the country in wagons. Great rafts of timber and
boards were floated on the same stream, so that the Pee
Dee became a common channel of communication be-
tween the people on the coast and those in the interior,
long before the age of cotton and steam, many obstruc-
tions to safe navigation being removed by private, and
some by public enterprise. At an early period indigo
became a profitable crop. The rich alluvial bottoms near
the banks of the river "were especially productive. In-
deed, the plant grew wild in the woods, and as there was
much demand for the dye in the markets of the world,
and the plant a natural growth of the soil, it is not strange
that it should soon become a principal article of export to
the mother country. Parliament encouraged its cultiva-
tion; a bounty was allowed for the indigo raised in the

History of Marlboro County, 53

British American plantations, and tons of the precious
stuff found its way to England. Fortunes were made in
its cultivation and manufacture. And so by one means
and another the settlements on the Pee Dee, almost from
the beginning, were prosperous and encouraging, honest
labor meeting a rich reward. As in the settlement of all
new countries, difficulties and embarrassments had to be
overcome, taking time and labor hardly appreciated by
the residents in long-settled localities. Highways for
travel and transportation, in a land as this was, of dense
forests and streams, was a matter of serious concern. But
"necessity is the mother of invention," and our.^fathers
were equal to the exigencies of the situation. The first
roads they opened were made just wide enough to admit
the passage of a rough "sled,** simple in construction but
answering the purpose when wheels were not at hand.
Two side-pieces of oak, with the front ends turned up-
ward to reach the horse's shoulders, fastened together at
the lower ends about three and a half or four feet apart,
by cross bars, securely tenanted or pinned, it was ready
for use. Fence rails were dragged, and fuel was drawn;
a box added, and corn could be moved to the barn. Of
course, wheels, better conveyances, and better roads had
to be, and were provided as soon as concert of action and
the necessary means were to be had. And as early as
1747 commissioners were appointed by the authorities of
the province "to have the highways and causeways better
attended," and the presumption is that about this time the
"public road*' that has long been known as the "River
Road," taking the same general course as the stream, was
opened. Then, after a few years, a public ferry was es-
tablished by law, crossing the river at the mouth of Cedar
Creek, a stream flowing in from the west side just above the
present Society Hill bridge; and roads were opened out on
either side the river, connecting with those running down
the country. Thus it will be seen that the public spirited

54 History of Marlboro County.

fathers were interested in measures contributing to the
public welfare; and as the population increased, conven-
iences and comforts were also enlarged, and there is evi-
dence that social and religious progress was not neglect-
ed. The planters had their meetings for consultation
and social intercourse; and the old church at Welsh Neck
had its pulpit regularly supplied by able, godly men, who
went out after the increasing population, at points as re-
mote as Cheraw, Cashway and elsewhere, as occasion
offered, for preaching the Gospel.

From an early date attention began to be given to
military affairs; indeed, from the first, some banding to-
gether of the people was needed for police regulations,
and as a precaution against the raids of unfriendly In-
dians. So that as early as 1744 we read of the
"Craven County Regiment, George Pawley, Colonel "
And in 1756, Philip Pledger, a citizen of Marlboro, was
"commissioned captain in His Majesty's service,*' and six
years later, George Hicks, another resident of Marlboro,
was also commissioned; and it is stated by the same au-
thority (Gregg) that in January 1748, the Craven County
regiment consisted of twelve hundred men, and that a
general review of militia (the first in Marlboro) took place
at Westfields, not far from Cheraw, Oct. 11, 1759. Up to
this time very little dissatisfaction was felt in this south-
ern province with the parent government, except the
want of courts of justice, that were conveniently accessi-
ble. The people were happy in the enjoyment of each
other's society on the few occasions when thrown togeth-
er, and had a little world of their own where their inter-
course was neighborly, hospitable and unrestrained. The
influence of the sturdy, honest colony that planted itself
upon either bank of the Pee Dee, at Welsh Neck, was the
ruling element in society, and was felt for many miles
around, and for many a year; and had the provincial Gover-
nors and Councils and parent government but consulted

History of Marlboro County. 55

the native love of liberty and sense of justice that rests
in the bosom of the true and brave, and fostered rather
than repressed the desire for just and equal rights, in
their subjects, we might have waited till now to set up for
Independence. But the time was coming, and causes
were beginning to operate, which in a few years more
must lead up to open rupture.

Prominent among those causes was the difficulty of
having their grievances and legal wrongs redressed. Ex-
cept the courts of justices of the peace, which only had
jurisdiction in minor causes, there was no tribunal to which
they could appeal nearer than Charleston. The great
distance, with the expense and inconvenience of travel
made it exceedingly burdensome to jurors, witnesses and
parties to suits who had to attend Court. Consequently^
many a man preferred to endure the wrong rather than
seek redress at such cost and trouble; and the evil dis-
posed took liberties and committed crimes, with but little
fear of punishment. As' the population increased, causes
of complaint multiplied. The people petitioned the pro-
vincial authorities for redress time and again, but all in
vain. They asked for courts to be established at more
accessible points, but no relief came in that way till a few
years before the war began. It was not surprising, there-
fore, that driven to extremities, the better class of citizens
should take affairs into their own hands, and devise means,
of their own for preserving peace and securing their just
a,nd equitable rights. Bands or clubs of men were organ-
ized calling themselves "Regulators." At the outset, com-
posed as these bodies were, of conservative, prudent men,
cautious in theexerciseof an assumed authority, the effect
may have been good in restraining the lawless and pro-
moting good order and justice, not abusing the powers
they had assumed. But their action received no favor
from the government; on the other hand, they were re-
garded as prompted by a spirit of rebellion^ and instead

56 History of Marlboro County.

of listening to their complaints, and providing redress,
the government sought- to repress these disturbances, and
too oft employed instruments of little character — obse-
quious tools of power, who could command no respect,
but rather increased the irritation among the people by
their insolence, and still further weakened their regard
for a government represented so unworthily. But these
contests between the Regulators and the minions of the
government, were preparing the way for that greater con-
test which was to end in the independence of the Colonies.
If the actions of the Regulators displeased the govern-
ment, no less were the Regulators exasperated by the
coldness and indifference with which their appeals were
treated, culminating in opposition and reprehension and
commands from the government to disperse. No marvel
if "horse thieves" and harborers of rogues should meet
with more stripes and severer punishment from men, not
only provoked by these crimes, but angered by the oppo-
sition of the government that sought to hinder what they
deemed an indispensable remedy. Nor is it strange that,
under such circumstances, another and unlawful party
should be banded in opposition to the Regulators — that
thieves and robbers should unite to resist self-assumed
authority, to arrest and lynch them for their crimes. Such
a state of things could not long exist without ending in
open rupture, and the government appears to have fore-
seen yet greater trouble ahead if some concessions were
not made. Therefore in 1768, by an act of the Assembly
the *Tarish of St. David" was organized. It was to em-
brace a vast extent of country in what was then called
Craven county, on both sides of the Great Pee Dee river.
Of course, this organization was in part designed to be ec-
clesiastical, but civil as well,Church and State united. Com-
missioners were "appointed for the building of the church
chapel and parsonage house,'* and to otherwise inaugurate
the affairs of St. David's church. By the same act the

History of Marlboro County, 57

inhabitants of the Parish were entitled to elect one mem-
ber to the General Assembly, to open and keep in repair
the public roads, and the **church wardens and overseers
of the poor,'* were authorized to levy taxes to relieve the
poor committed to their charge. And it may be stated
that the following citizens of Marlboro had appointments
on this first board of commissioners — Claudius Pegues,
Philip Pledger, George Hicks, Robert Allison and Charles
Bedingfield. This was not all the people asked for; but
it was something gained. With a member in the General
Assembly, chosen by their own free ballot, they indulged
the hope that farther relief might be obtained. On the
fourth and fifth days of October, 1768,. an election was
held and Claudius Pegues, by a vote of 166, was unani-
mously elected the first representative of St. David's, or
of Upper Pee Dee in the General Assembly of South
Carolina. He had been but about eight years in the
country, and it is greatly to his credit that so brief a resi-
dence among his people should have so impressed them
with a sense of his worth as that they should commit to
his charge interests that were so precious; and yet he is
described as "retiring in disposition and habits," He
must have been known to be capable, faithful, devoted to
the public welfare, and the sacred rights of his coun-
trymen.

But the parochial organization was not adapted to meet
the wants of the growing country; the people "were yet
without a court easy of access," where justice could be
administered. The necessity for some local tribunal was
more and more imperative, and after the most urgent
and persistent entreaties, a bill was passed July 27,
1769, and signed by Governor Bull, Aug. 2d, organizing
"circuit or district courts to be held at Orangeburg, Nine-
ty-Six, the Cheraws, Georgetown, Beaufort and Charles-
ton, to sit six days each, and to be held twice a year, for
the trial of causes criminal and civil." This was a large

58 History of Marlboro County,

and satisfactory concession to the people, and quieted for
a time the apprehensions of a general collision, and pro-
moted the prosperity and peace of the country. The
Cheraw District embraced that region included within St.
David's Parishand what subsequently became Darlington,
Chesterfield and Marlboro. **George Hicks, Thomas Lide,
Jonathan Wise, Benjamin Rogers and Eli Kershaw were
appointed commissioners to build a court-house and jail."
This work, however, was delayed by an unfortunate con-
troversy as to the location. Cheraw was growing as a
place of trade; there St. David's, the State church, was
being established; it was at the head of navigation, con-
sidered healthy and accessible, and Cheraw very naturally
wanted the court-house of the District of Cheraw. Long
Bluff, on the west side o^ the river, near Society Hill, was
a contestant. It, too, was a place of trade, near the sacred
spot where the first ancient colony of Welsh first built
their altars surrounded on both sides of the river by a
thrifty, intelligent population, -nearer the center of the
district and therefore more convenient to the great body
of the people. Owing to this controversy, the work of
building was hindered until August 1770, when, by an act
of the General Assembly, the commissioners were ordered
to build at Long Bluff. After some delay substantial
buildings were erected, and on Monday, Nov. 16, 1772,
the long-sought privilege of a suffering people was enjoy-
ed of seeing a court open upon their own ground, where
causes criminal and civil were to be settled by judges
"learned in the law," and by "juries of their peers." The
administration of justice was introduced by invoking the
favor of Heaven, and the direction of Infinite wisdom.
Rev. Nicholas Bedgegood, a man long known and honor-
ed in Marlboro, the pastor of Welsh Neck church, preach^
ed what was termed a "sessions sermon," enforcing the du-
ties and responsibilities of those in authority, as well as
those devolving upon the subjects of law in every con-

History of Marlboro County. 59

dition of society, and directing the thoughts of all to a
judgment yet to come, when the Judge of all the earth
should fix unalterably the destiny of His creatures.
From that day Long Bluff became the resort of lawyers
and judges; and a center of influence and interest to an ex-
tensive territory. Dark deeds of crime were there to meet
due reward; and stern justice be meted out to all
classes, and for a time, at least, became a forum for
legal lore and contest. Justices Gordon and Murray were
the first to preside, and Wm. Henry Mills was the first
sheriff in Cheraw District. It is not known if there was a
resident lawyer in the district for a number of years, but
such men as Powell, Waties and Brevard are supposed to
have practiced in the courts at this place. About the
close of the war, in consideration, it is presumed, of the
efficient services rendered the cause of liberty by Gen.
Greene, the name of the little court-house village was
changed to Greeneville. But the formation of three judi-
cial districts, Darlington, Chesterfield and Marlboro, out
of the old Cheraw district, caused, of course, the removal
of the records and all legal business to other localities,
and the town gradually went to decay. And the plow-
share was ultimately driven through the streets and pub-
lic ground, upturning the very soil on which the public
buildings stood. The long high bluff making the western
bank of the Pee Dee yet lifts its front to greet the rising
sun, but no longer is the historic ground called Greeneville.
Society Hill, a mile or two from the river, a place of con-
siderable trade,the home of a cultivated, intelligent people,
has long been the center of influence and resort for the
Surrounding country.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Family of Col. Kolb and Some of Their Neighbors,

In 1 75 1 the name Kolb first appeared upon the Pee
Dee — a name which was destined to become distinguish-
ed in after time, and ultimately to become extinct, at
least upon the east side of the river. Several men of this
name appear in the early records, viz. : Jacob, Henry, Mar-
tin and Peter. Whether all brothers, or one a father and
the others sons, does not appear. Peter married Ann, the
eldest daughter of Rev. Philip James, first pastor of the
Welsh Neck church. Col. Abel, who became so distin-
guished in Revolutionary affairs, and at last sealed his de-
votion to the cause with his blood, was a son of this mar^
riage. He also married a Miss James and two daughters
were given them. Sarah was first married to Benjamin
David, and afterwards to Philip Pledger. Ann, the other
daughter, became the wife of Maj. James Pouncey. We
are to hear of Col. Kolb hereafter, and must be content
in this chapter to trace the record of Maj. Pouncey and
the noble partner of his life. The father of Maj. Pouncey
was named William, and died young, leaving but one
other child, a daughter, who married Alex Peterkin. A
brother Anthony, was a soldier of the Revolution and held
for a time the position of quartermaster in Murphy's reg-t
iment, and a sister of these was the mother of the late
Daniel John. To Maj. Pouncey and his wife were given
four sons and five daughters. William, once the sheriff
of Marlboro, married Miss Sarah Sparks. James first
married Mary Pledger and afterwards Mary Ferniss. John
married Miss Armstrong and Peter Miss Adeline Hodges,
The daughters married, Sarah to Daniel M. Crosland and
was the honored mother of our fellow citizens, W. A. and

History of Marlboro County. 6 1

T. L. Crosland. Ann married Mr. Smith of North Caro-
lina. Eliza was the first wife of Dr. Wm. Crosland. Mary
was the wife of Dr. R. S. Thomas, and Ellen married
C. M. Cochrane, and not long since was yet alive. The
name Cochrane, although extinct among us, is neverthe-
less numerously represented both in Marlboro and Marion.
Thomas Cochrane, the first we know of him, lived on
Crooked Creek near the site of the old Court House. His
first wife was a Miss Council, connected in some way
with the Pledgers. The fruit of this marriage was Robt.
C, the father of Mrs. Simon Emanuel; Mary, the first
wife of John Hamer, Margaret, the wife of James Bethea,
and Rachel who married Philip Bethea. And from all
these have sprung large families. The second wife of
Thomas Cochrane was a Miss Griffin, whose daughter by
a former marriage was the wife of John Rogers, and the
issue of this second union was Louisa, who married Hen-
ry Covington, who lived at Bennettsville in the early years
of its history. Martha married Thomas Cargill and had a
son who died unmarried. Mr. Cochrane's third wife was
a widow Hunter and this marriage was crowned with the
birth of Claudius M., mentioned above as the son-in-law
of Maj. Pouncey.

From the old family record, from which the above
paragraph is taken , another extract will be here made,
although it takes us into a locality a little more dis-
tant from **the Neck." About 1750 Nathaniel Spears,.
a native of England, came to Virginia. While there
he married Lidia Wise, and soon after came to Car-
olina and staked down upon the banks of the Three
Creeks. Two sons and a daughter were born to this an-
cient couple, when Mr. Spears died, and his widow mar-
ried a Mr. Trawick. The daughter, as we have already
recorded, married the second Aaron Pearson. One son,
David, who is put down as a private in Benton's regiment,
1781-82, raised a family of whom one daughter became

62 History of Marlboro County,

the wife of Aaron Coxe. to whom reference has already
been made, and a son married a daughter of Robt. Coch-
rane and went West. The other son, William, married
Miss Nancy Breeden, and was the father of a large fam-
ily. Among his sons two yet remain in the Hebron com-
munity, Lewis and Harris. Alfred Parish, Daniel
McLeod and Robert Thomas and William Lee married
daughters, and William Spears married a Miss Bridges
and went to Arkansas. It is alone in this Hebron family
that the name Spears, as derived from Nathaniel, is now
borne by living men in Marlboro. Nathaniel's other son .
was James, who married Lidia Meekins. Four sons and five
daughters were given this couple. One son, Meekins,
died unmarried. Another, David, married Margaret
McRae and died childless. James married Deborah
Bethea, daughter of James Bethea of Marion and a grand-
daughter of Thomas Cochrane^ To this pair ten child-
ren were born. Andrew and Edwin, the only sons, both
died young and left no children to bear the name. Ann
became the wife of Thomas E. Stubbs. Margaret has
been the partner of the writer of these lines for forty-
seven years. Martha was the wife of Duncan Moore,
Emily became the wife of Isaac Pipkin, and Eliza, first
wife of E. C. Pipkin and Rebecca the first wife of Dr. W.
J. David. The other two daughters died young. Mrs.
Stubbs and Mrs. Thomas alone are living.* Mr. Spears
was a man of large brain, great firmness of character, sys-
tematic and orderly in all his movements, and Mrs.
Spears was every way worthy of his devotion, and if their
name has not been transmitted to their posterity, may we
not hope that their virtues will live and bear rich harvests
of fruit in their numerous seed.

The daughters of James Spears, Sr., became mothers
of large families. Two daughters and a son, Nathaniel,
married and went West. Ann married Mathew Heustiss

*Both died in 1895.

History of Marlboro County, 63

and lived for a long time where John L. McLaurin
lived just across the creek from Bennettsville and their
descendants are found among the Heustisses, the Stan tons
and others with whom they have intermarried. Another
daughter, Elizabeth, became Mrs. Jabish Townsend, as
already stated in a previous chapter. And a third, Mary,
married Daniel John, and has left her impress for good
upon a large and highly respected posterity, not only in
Marlboro, but in North Carolina and Arkansas as well.

Before leaving the Three Creeks mention is made of the
Vinings. The tradition, as obtained from the late John
Pearson, whose mother was of this stock, is to the effect
that two brothers, Jesse and Jephtha, came from either
England or Wales about 1750; that one of them 'settled in
Carolina and the other in Georgia, but whether it was
Jesse or Jephtha that became the head of the Marlboro
family our informant could not tell. Neither could the
Georgia family, which he had visited and found perpetu-
ating both these names and holding like traditions as to
their origin. However this may be, the one who came
here married a Miss Hilson, according to the tradition,
and raised a son and two daughters whose posterity, now
bearing other names, abound in the country. The son
named Jesse married a Miss Pledger and had three sons —
John, who never married; Thomas, who left a son and
two daughters among us, and Jesse, who, with a large
family of boys, moved to Georgia some forty years ago.
Ann Vining became the wife of Aaron Pearson, as we have
seen, and the mother of John Pearson, and of course is
largely and honorably represented in the county to-day.
The other daughter, Elizabeth, first married William Evans,
and after his death she married Alexander Peterkin, and
became the mother of James and Jesse, from whom the
South Carolina family have come. James Peterkin mar-
ried Barbara McRae. Mrs. Susan Drake at Blenheim,
and Mrs. C. D. Easterling, of Bennettsville, are daughters

64 History of Marlboro County,

of this marriage. Jessie Peterkin married Sallie McRae,
and Mrs. A. B. Henagan and Capt. J. A. Peterkin, now of
Orangeburg, were children of this marriage. William
Evans, the first husband of Elizabeth Vining, was the son
of a young man of the same name who came to Welsh
Neck direct from Wales about 1745. He had several sons
besides this one. We have heard of Daniel, John and
Thomas. From one of these our fellow citizen, the late
Thos. A. Evans, of Blenheim vicinity, is descended. Wil-
liam Evans and Bettie Vining were married in 1781 while
the war was in progress; and for two years Bettie had
frequently to hide their only horse in the swamps of Pee
Dee while William was in camp. One son, "Uncle Sandy,"
as we called him was their first born and after him came
Catharine, the grandmother of our fellow citizen, M. D.
McLeod. Next Lucy, who married a Mr. Thomson and
moved West. Then Elizabeth, who was long known in the
Red Hill community as Bet$y Huggins;and then Eleanor,
who became the second wife of William Thomas, of
Brownsville; and the writer was the first born to this mar-
riage.

CHAPTER IX.

Revolution Drawing Nigh.

So much has been written of the causes which led to a
rupture and separation of the colonies from the mother
country, the story so well told, that but little space need
be given it here. It is proper, however, that the part our
fathers took in the quarrel and fight should be remem-
bered by their posterity. The concessions which had
been made to the people in the back country of South
Carolina, as it was then called, in allowing representation
in the provincial assembly, and allowing district courts,
had allayed excitement, produced a good degree of satis-
faction, promoted prosperity and induced the hope that
yet other wrongs in the course of time would be redresed
and larger liberties secured. But some of the other
colonies were not so fortunate in their local governments.
Hence, as one encroachment after another was made
upon what all considered their just rights as citizens of
Great Britain, these local oppressions intensified the op-
position to anything like oppression from the parent
government, and the common sympathy existing among
the various colonies bound them together, so that the
sufferings of Massachusetts or Virginia were felt in Caro-
lina or Georgia. An insult offered these they were ready
to resent, and long before the first blood shed upon the
heights of Lexington fired the American heart and sum-
moned the whole Atlantic slope to arms, there was a
general feeling of unrest, grevious complaints and remon-
strances throughout the country. As early as 1765 the
passage of the memorable Stamp Act aroused the colonies
and when it was proposed to hold a ^'congress of deputies
from the several colonies" to protest against usurpation,

66 History of Marlboro County.

South Carolina was among the first outside of New Eng-
land to respond to the proposition, and was behind no
province in manifesting an intelligent spirit of resistance
to every other measure of oppression which followed in
portentous succession. And when the taxed tea was
thrown over board in Boston Harbor the whole country
felt the alarm. A public meeting in Boston appealed to
the other colonies to stop importing from Britain.
Charleston heard the summons and appealed to the peo-
ple to assemble in that city, the seat of British authority
in the province, on the 6th day of July, 1774. This call
met a hearty response. The district of Cheraw was ably
represented by Col. Powell, who, for several years, had
been its honored member in the Provincial Assembly. A
large committee was appointed to provide for the public
safety, which in the fall issued a call for a "Provincial
Congress," which convened January 11, 1775. The pro-
ceedings of the Continental Congress were reviewed, dele-
gates appointed to meet those from the other colonies, a
new committee of general safety appointed, and all such
regulations made as the exigencies of the times demand-
ed. In this revolutionary congress Cheraw district was
largely represented, and among the names are several
prominent men of Marlboro. These made up the Cheraw
delegation: Gabriel Powell, Claudius Pegues, Henry Wm.
Harrington, Alex Mcintosh, Samuel Wise and George
Pawley.

But perhaps the most intelligent expression of senti-
ment which can be had at this day of the patriotic senti-
ments of the people of this region is found in the present-
ments of the grand juries of the day. The population was
sparse, and scattered over a wide territory — few public
meetings could be held, none largely attended, but
these juries, composed of representative men from va-
rious sections, put upon oath, might be reasonably ex-
pected to voice the general sentiment and feeling of the
people.

History of Marlboro Comity, 67

The liberty is taken, therefore, to quote largely from
the charge of his honor, Judge Wm. Henry Drayton, at
Long Bluff, at the November term of court, 1774. Judge
Drayton had but lately received his appointment. He
was born in South Carolina in 1742, was but little past
thirty-two, but gifted and learned, was destined to fill a
distinguished place in the annals of his struggling coun-
try; now upon the Bench and later in the councils of the
Continental Congress, he adorned every position which
he was called to fill, and when his brief life ended in
Philadelphia, while attending the Congress of 1779, South
Carolina grieved as a mother for her son. Let us imagine
this splendid son of Carolina in the glow of his young
manhood, appearing for the first time upon the bench at
Long Bluff, addressing his countrymen upon the interests
of the hour. After a concise statement of their general
duties, he said: **By as much as you prefer freedom to
slavery, by so much ought you to prefer a glorious death to
servitude, and to hazard everything to endeavor to main-
tain that rank which is so gloriously pre-eminent above
all other nations, you ought to endeavor to preserve it,
not only for its inestimable value, and from a reverence
to our ancestry from whom we received it, but from a love
to our children to whom we are bound by every consid-
eration to deliver down this legacy, the most valuable
that ever was or ever can be delivered to posterity — and
such are the distinguishing characteristics of this legacy,
which may God, of His infinite goodness and mercy long
preserve to us, an(i graciously continue to our posterity.
But without our pious and unwearied endeavors to pre-
serve these blessings it is folly and presumption to hope
for a continuance of them. Hence, in order to stknulate
your exertions in favor of your civil liberties, which pro-
tect your religious rights, instead of discoursing to you
of the laws of other States, and comparing them to our
own, allow me to tell you what your civil liberties are.

68 History of Marlboro County,

and to charge you, which I do in the most solemn man-
ner, to hold them dearer than your lives; a lesson and
charge at all times proper from a Judge, but particularly
so at this crisis, when America is in one general and gen-
ous commotion touching this truly important point.
It is unnecessary for me to draw any other character of
their liberties than that great line by which they are dis-
tinguished; and happy is it for the subject that those lib-
erties can be marked in so easy and in so distinguishing
a manner. And this is the distinguishing character:
Efiglish people can not be taxed, nay, they can not be bound by
any law, unless by their consent, expressed by themselves, or
by their representatives of their own election. This colony
was settled by English subjects; by a people from Eng-
land herself; a people who brought over with them, who
planted in this colony, and who transmitted to their pos-
terity the invaluable rights of Englishmen — rights which
no time, no contract, no climate can diminish. Thus
possessed of such rights, it is of the most serious concern
that you strictly execute those regulations which have
arisen from such a parentage, and to which you have giv-
en the authority of laws, by having given your constitu-
tional consent that they should operate as laws; for by
your not executing what those laws require, you would
weaken the force, and would show, I may almost say, a
treasonable contempt for those constitutional rights out
of which your laws arise, and which you ought to defend
and support at the hazard of your lives. Hence, by all
the ties which mankind hold most dear and sacred; your
tenderness to your posterity; your reverence to your an-
cestors; your love to your own interests; by the lawful
obligations of your oath, I charge you to do your duty;
to maintain the laws, the rights, the constitution of your
country, even at the hazard of your lives and fortunes.
Some courtly Judges style themselves the King's servants
— a style which sounds harshly in my ears, inasmuch as

History of Marlboro County, 69

tfie being a servant implies obedience to the orders of the
master, and such Judges might possibly think that in the
present situation of American affairs this charge is incon-
sistent with my duty to the King and a trusty officer
under the constitution, when I boldly declare the law to
the people and instruct them in their civil rights. Indeed,
you gentlemen of the grand jury can not properly com-
prehend your duty and your great obligation to perform
it unless you know those civil rights from which those
duties spring and. by knowing the value of these rights,
thence learn your obligation to perform these duties."

The quotation is lengthy, but it is not all the eloquence
and patriotism which rang out in the courtroom. It is
enough to show how the love for liberty consumed the
judge and kindled a flame in the bosoms of the people.
And the final presentment of the jury was a fitting response
to the stirring words uttered by the judge. After a brief
report of local matters the paper said: *'We present as a
grievance of the first magnitude the right claimed by the
British Parliament to tax us, and by their acts bind us in
all cases whatsoever. When we reflect on our other
grievances they all appear trifling in comparison with this;
for if we may be taxed, imprisoned and deprived of life
by the force of edicts to which neither we nor our constitu-
tional representatives have ever assented, no slavery can
be more abject than ours. We are, however, sensible that
we have abetter security for our lives, our liberties and
fortunes than the mere will of the Parliament of Great
Britain; and are fully convinced that we can not be consti-
tutionally taxed but by representatives of our own elec-
tion or bound by any laws than those to which they have
assented. This right of being exempted from all laws
but those enacted with the consent of representatives of
our own election we deem so essential to our freedom
and so engrafted in our constitution that we are deter-
mined to defend it at the hazard of our lives and fortunes;

70 History of Marlboro County,

and we earnestly request that this presentment may be
laid before our constitutional representatives, the common
House of Assembly of this colony, that it may be known
how much we prize our freedom and how resolved we are
to preserve it. We recommend that these presentments
be published in the gazettes of the Province.*' The above
was signed and sealed by "Alexander Mcintosh, the fore-
man; Henry W. Harrington, Thomas Ayers,'* and seven-
teen others. These were bold, manly sentiments, com-
ing from plain honest men, and although largely inspired
by the stirring address of the judge, fast coming to be an
idol in the hearts of his people, yet these fearless words
but voiced the sentiment of a large part of the popula-
tion, as the proceedings of the next term of court mani-
fested. Instead of a Drayton to fire their hearts, with
his eloquent appeals, "to all they held dearest," at this
term the ermine was worn by Justice Gregory. He was
fresh from England and loyal in the highest degree, and
possibly one of the "style," who, as Drayton tersely put it,
regarded themselves "servants of the king." The grand
jury made the usual presentments. They added these
words: "We present as an enormous grievance the power
exercised by the British parliament of taxing and making
laws binding upon the American Colonies in all cases
whatsoever; such power being subversive of the most
inestimable rights of British subjects, that of being taxed
by their own consent, given by their representatives in
General Assembly, and that of trial by jury, both which are
evidently inherent in every British-American, and of which
no power on earth can legally deprive them. We, well
knowing the importance ot these rights, in secunng to us
our liberties, lives and estates, and conceiving it to be
every man's indispensable duty to transmit them to his
posterity, are fully determined to defend them at the
hazard of our lives and fortunes." But this outspoken,
resolute declaration, along with more of the same spirit

History of Marlboro County, 71

and tenor, which reflected to some extent, by implication
at least, upon the integrity of the judge, was ordered to
be "quashed"; yet it all came out in the public gazettes
of the day, with the signatures of sixteen good men, such
as Thomas Lide, foreman; Sam*l Wise, Claudius- Pegues,
William Pouncey, Benjamin Rogers, Thomas Bingham
and others. Few, if any, of the early declarations of rights
were bolder than these set forth under the solemnities of
law and under oath, by the patriotic fathers who lived
upon the Pee Dee. May the sons and daughters in all
time be worthy of their relationship to these "Old
Cheraws."

CHAPTER X.

Several Old Families.

Another of these first comers to the Pee Dee was Wil-
liam Terrell, or, as the name was first spelled, Tarell.
Bishop Gregg says of this old settler, that **he was the
grandfather of the late Captain John Terrell, a worthy
descendant of the old Welsh stock, and one of the best
men of his day and generation." Captain Terrell's father
was engaged in the public service before the Revolution,
but did not survive that period. The Captain married
Ann, a daughter of Major Robert Allison, a lady every
way worthy of her excellent husband; and, as the Captain
used to tell it, "the Lord greatly enriched them by giving
them ten daughters," and among the Rogers, the Douglas
and Beatties, this honored pair have a number of descen-
dants in the county to-day, and many more in Darling-
ton and neighboring States. Many a deed of kindness
done by this godly pair brings blessings upon their mem-
ory, and "though dead, they yet speak, and in example
live."

The late Rev. James H. Thornwell, D. D., a native of
Marlboro, was a grandson of Samuel Terrell, a brother of
Captain John Terrell's father. Miss Martha Terrell, the
mother of Dr. Thornwell, first married James Thornwell,
an obscure man, and after the birth of two sons he died.
The widow was a woman of remarkable intellect, but, left
in penury, she was kindly aided in the care of her charge
by Captain Terrell, till she became the wife of Mr.
Ananias Graham, and the mother of two sons by tha
marriage. Young Thornwell began early to manifest a
taste for books, and was furnished with the means of at-
tending such schools as the country afforded by the
efforts of his mother and Captain Terrell, until the atten-
tion of such men as General Gillespie, of Marlboro, and

History of Marlboro County, 73

Mr. Robbins, of Cheraw, became so interested in his be-
half, that he was fitted for college, and enabled to com-
plete the course and receive his diploma, and from thence
his career was onward and upward, until few men in the
State have attained higher position in the field of
thought. No son of Marlboro has perhaps been more
gifted, and surely no money ever spent has been more
worthily bestowed, than that contributed to educate his
splendid mind. The whole State of South Carolina and
the Presbyterian Church of the United States felt the
blow when the fires of his great intellect consumed his
feeble frame, and he fell with his armour bright in the
zenith of his power and influence, when the troubles of
the country seemed most to need the wisdom of his
counsel.

A younger brother of the doctor, Charles A., for whom
he felt a paternal sort of interest, and whom he aided in
educating in the South Carolina College (where he was
for a time a professor, and then the president), was also a
man of superior intellect. After his graduation he
studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1842, located at
Bennettsville, married first a daughter of Meekin Town-
send, and directly took a prominent stand among such
competitor as David, Dudley and McQueen, and seemed
destined to eminence in his chosen profession. In 1852
he was elected a member of the House of Representa-
tives, and rjc-elected in 1854. After the birth of two
sons Mrs. Thornwell died, and he married Miss Hood,
and seemed to have a brilliant career before him, but
stricken down with disease, it was but a few days and all
was over. His only surviving son, J. H. Thornwell, lives
in the community yet.

In connection with the education of Dr. Thornwell a
name was mentioned which has been long and favorably
known among the people of Marlboro, that of General
Gillespie. The name as it first appears upon the old

74 History of Marlboro County,

records is spelled Galespy. In 1743 James Galespy, a
man of enterprise and energy, from the north of Ireland,
made his "application to the Council for three hundred
acres of land in the Welsh Tract,'* claiming to have six
persons in his family. It is likely that he had been upon
the Pee Dee for sometime before this, as tradition
makes him the first man who ever brought a boat to
Cheraw; a business which he seems to have followed in
copartnership with General Gadsden, of Charleston, up
to the time of the Revolution. He married a Miss
Young, and had two sons, Francis and James. The
former died young, but the latter lived to bear his full share
in the stormy period of the Revolution; and was active
both as a soldier and civilian. He settled on the east
side of the river, on the place the family have ever since
continued to live. His wife was Miss Wilds, aunt of
Judge Wilds, a woman worthy of her husband. From
this pair was born "Francis, Samuel and James, and two
daughters, Sarah and Mary." Of these three brothers,
James, or Gen. Gillespie, as he was called from the earliest
recollection oi our oldest people, attained greatest prom-
inence. Modest and unpretending, never pushing him-
self forward, he was yet too generous and patriotic to re-
sist when his countrymen called for his leadership; and
would no more decline a place on one of the boards of
commissioners than a seat in the Legislature of the State;
a position to which he was three times elected by his lov-
ing people. In Church or in State, at home or abroad, he
was everywhere a pure-minded, consistent, good man.
Splendid specimen of the old style Carolina gentleman.
In ripe old age, reverses came — war, depredation, oppres-
sion, bereavement, losses, yet patiently and calmly he
reposed his trust in the Lord. "Mark the perfect man,
and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace."
About the year 1742 another name which had been
prominent in the affairs of the country first appeared

History of Marlboro Coufity. 75

among the settlers on the Pee Dee. In July of that year,
Thomas EUerby, who came from Virginia five years earl-
ier, obtained a grant of land on the west side of the river,
and was soon an extensive planter, and owned many
slaves. Another, John EUerby, settled on the east side
of the river, but seems to have remained in the country
but a short time. Thomas EUerby married Obedience
Gillespie, had two sons, Thomas and William, from whom
the extensive connection is descended. The spelling of
the name, it is said, was changed to EUerbe, by a school-
master to whom Thomas and William were sent soon af-
ter their father's death. Both of these men became promi-
nent in the affairs of the country, and were ardent Whigs.
The family has been more numerous in Chesterfield than
in Marlboro. But William E., a son of the William men-
tioned above, married a Marlboro lady. Miss Ann Robin-
son; and from that pair. Col. William T. was descended,
than whom, for a time, no citizen of the district was held
in higher esteem. For six years a member of the lower
House, and four years in the State Senate; wealthy, liberal,
successful as a planter — the people loved and honored
him, and were grieved when in the maturity of his powers
he was cut down. Our young fellow citizen, George Her-
sey, is a grand-nephew of this gifted man.

Another scion of this worthy name, John C. EUerbe,
came from Chesterfield and captured a fair daughter of
lower Marlboro, Maria Wickham, and took her to Marion ;
and the excellent family of that name in Marion came
from that union. The present Governor of South Car-
olina, Wm. H. EUerbe, is one of the direct descendants,
and, like his ancestor, came to lower Marlboro, and cap-
tured one of her fair daughters for his wife. Miss Rogers,
a sister of Hon. T. I. Rogers, of Bennettsville. In various
quarters of the country the descendants of old Thomas
EUerbe may be found ; and whether they take the name,

or trace the lineage through a daughter's veins, the splen-
6

76 History of Marlioro County,

did form, handsome features,high-toned generous impulses
of the ancestors yet characterize the descendants. The
old men, Thomas and William, were distinguished in the
Revolution, the former commanding a company, first in
Kolb's regiment, and afterwards in Benton's of Marion's
brigade. So, in later times, when war demanded the
service of the strong and brave, the descendants of these
old heroes were not found wanting.

William Forniss, another of the old settlers, occupied a
fine place in the neighborhood of Dyer's Hill. He, too,
was a zealous supporter of the cause of Independence,
too old to be a soldier, but helping with his influence
and means. His son, an active boy, was ready with his
fleet steed to carry intelligence from one point to another
in time of peril. He afterwards became known as Major
James Forniss, and reared a large family at, or, near the
old homestead. But all have passed away; or live in the
West. The Major married a Miss Irby, and his daughter
married M. L. Irby, and Miss Fannie Irby, of Bennetts-
ville, is, so far as the writer is informed, the last of the
Forniss blood in Marlboro.

Mention has been made of the Brownsville branch of
the Irby family. The first of this name was Charles, who
came from Virginia about the middle of the last century,
and settled in upper Marlboro, married Mehitabel Kolb,
and became a prominent man. A son Charles lived and
died in Brownsville. Elizabeth became the wife of Philip
Pledger ; another daughter became Mrs. Forniss, and yet
another Mrs. Annie Lide ; while his other son, James, mar-
ried Miss Wright, of Marlboro, and from this pair has
descended the present families found in the township of
Smithville. Charles Irby of this branch of the family,
represented his native district in the State Senate, about
the time the war came on, and lived only a few years after
peace was restored. He never married. Elizabeth Irby,
a daughter of the first Charles, became the wife of Wil-

History of Marlboro County. yy

Ham Pledger, and the mother of the late Mrs. Joel
Emanuel, and of Major P. W. Pledger, both of whom sleep
at the old family cemetery on the Irby place. The latter
left no representative behind, and the name is extinct in
the county. But Mrs. Emanuel left a large number of
descendants to honor her memory.

The Pledger name first appears in the annals of Welsh
Neck as early as 1752; when Philip Pledger came from
Amelia County, Va., and settled in what is now Marlboro
County. His wife was a Miss Ellis, of Virginia. He had
two sons, Joseph and John, who, with their father, were
active Whigs. There were also two daughters, one of
whom married James Hicks, and the other first married a
Mr. Fields, from whom the family of that name is de-
scended through William Fields, who was a Major in the
State Troops in the war of 1812. After the death of
Fields the widow married William Terrell, father of that
good man so long and favorably known as Capt. John
Terrell. The Pledger name is no longer known among
us, but in the Donaldsons, and others above mentioned,
the honorable characteristics of the family are yet per-
petuated among us. In this connection it is proper to
make brief mention of the Hicks, who, for a number of
years, were prominent people in Marlboro. In 1746
George Hicks, a man of English descent, came to Pee
Dee and married a daughter of Philip James, the first
pastor of Welsh Neck, and from this pair has descended
a numerous progeny, among them the Harringtons,
KoUocks, Donaldsons, and perhaps others. A part of
the plantation long known as the **McFarland Beauty
Spot Place," and latterly the property of the late J. B.
Breeden, was formerly occupied by the Hicks family.
"The high old house," where Mrs. Hicks lived, and
where Dr. Jones, one of the first practicing physicians of
Bennettsville, got his wife, is yet remembered by the older
people as standing not a half mile from where J. F.
Breeden now lives.

CHAPTER XI.
Progress of Revolutionary Sentiment,

If the foregoing expressions, in a previous chapter,
from individuals and the courts, indicated a strong attach-
ment to the principles of liberty, they evinced at the same
time, a spirit of determination and increasing readiness
for the approaching crisis. If among the first to boldly
declare opposition to encroachments upon their sacred
rights, the fathers seemed to understand and appre-
ciate that they were assuming a position from which they
could not recede. And yet they had not gone so far but
that reasonable concessions from the Crown, and a show
of just consideration to the interests of the colonies, would
have stayed the tide of revolution and restored loyalty
and love to the parent government. But such pacific
measures were hoped in vain from a proud, powerful
government. Royalty yields only to necessity, and 1775
witnessed an effort on the part of its representatives to
recall the people to a sense of their allegiance, by issuing
one order and proclamation after another, asserting the
"divine right," and exhorting to obedience, and warning
against disloyalty.

The Provincial Congress, a body organized to promote
the interest of the people by counsel and remonstrance
and petition, had adjourned to meet on June 20. But on
the 19th of April the battle of Lexington was fought;
and, although the battle-ground was far to the north, yet
the tidings that American blood had been shed upon
American soil, for American liberty, stirred the American
heart in Carolina as surely as in Massachusetts, and the
committee invested with such authority called the dele-
gates together on the first day of June. One hundred and

History of Marlboro County, 79

seventy-two brave men responded to the call; among
them Samuel Wise, Claudius Pegues and William Henry
Harrington, and on the second day of the session passed
a paper recognizing the "existence of hostilities" — de-
claring the "causes sufficient to drive all oppressed people
to arms** — that they would "be justified before God and
man in resisting force by force, and solemnly engaging
that whenever our continental or provincial councils shall
decree it necessary, we will go forth and be ready to sac-
rifice our lives and fortunes to secure our freedom and
support.** It was further "resolved to raise fifteen hundred
infantry and four hundred and fifty rangers.*' Before the
end of the year matters had become so warlike that the
royal governor fled from the capitol and took refuge upon
a "man of war,^* dissolving for the last time the "common
House of Assembly.** Before this year ended a detach-
ment of troops was ordered from the Pee Dee, under Maj.
Hicks, to the Congaree, but the order was countermanded
while they were upon the march. So that war was upon
the people before the ^end of 1775; although there were
some who, no doubt, honestly dissented, and were sincere
in their professions of loyalty; doubtless others were in-
different as to the result of the struggle, provided they
themselves could be let alone, while yet another class
dodged the service, only to plunder and spoil. But
thousands of the best people in the land threw the whole
weight of their influence, property and personal services
into the cause of the struggling colonies.

The year destined to be noted in American history as
"Independence Year,'* opened upon this southern land
dark and portentous. It looked as if Charleston was to
be assailed from the sea. Ships of war were seen upon
the bar, and a call was made for "detachments of volun-
teers in small parties of twenty or fifty as they could be
collected.** Maj. Hicks and Capt. Wise, with these de-
tachments, promptly responded. Some of the country

8o History of Marlboro County.

troops remained for some time, wjiile others were soon
discharged; and this seems to have been a common rule
of action. It could not be otherwise; there were no
arms, no treasury, no supplies to keep an army in the
field. It was an infant republic struggling for birth.
When some imminent peril threatened one point, help was
called in from neighboring regions, and as soon as the
danger was past the body of troops went home subject to
call. And so it was that the necessary expenses of these
volunteers were not always paid; and may have become a
source of irritation and a hinderance to a ready response
to an after call. It has been said that "certain expenses
incurred by this detachment under Maj. Hicks were not
paid"; and it is not surprising if some of these ready pa-
triots from the Pee Dee were a little slow to answer
when called again. Yet it is amazing that with resources
of all sorts so feeble, and troops so few, the war was
maintained so long, covering, as it did, a field as wide as
the thirteen colonies, and sometimes running over into
Canada. It was the spirit of resistance, indomitable en-
ergy and love for the cause they had espoused that ani-
mated all classes, that sustained and carried them for-
ward. Bishop Gregg, to whom the writer is so largely
indebted for many facts bearing upon the history of these
stirring times in Carolina and upon the Pee Dee, has
given us an interesting correspondence between "Oliver
Hart, pastor of the Charleston Baptist church, and Elha-
nan Winchester, pastor of the Welsh Neck church, in be-
half of the Baptist congregation in general," on the one
part, and the Hon. Henry Laurens, Vice-President of the
Province of South Carolina, on the other part; which is a
most beautiful expression of piety, patriotism, trust in
God and devotion to the cause of independence 'on the
part of all concerned. The preachers said, among many
other like things: "We hope yet to see hunted liberty sit
regent on the throne and flourish more than ever under

History of Marlboro Couftty. 8i

the administration of such worthy patriots; may we not
hope that the time is come in which our rulers may be
men fearing God, and hating covetousness, a terror to
evil-doers, and a praise to them that do well." In his
reply Mr. Laurens said, "Let each man among us, whether
in the State or in the Church, whether in public or pri-
vate life, by example, by precept, by every becoming act,
preserve and be ready with his life and fortune to defend
the just cause in which God has been pleased to engage
us. We shall, weak as we are, succeed against those who
have assumed to themselves the power of Omnipotence,
who trust in fleets and armies to determine the fight. We
shall be the happy instruments of establishing liberty, civil
and religious, in a wilderness where towns and cities shall
grow, whose inhabitants to the latest posterity will look
back to this happy epoch, and celebrate and bless the
memory of this generation." Eloquent prophecy! "There
were giants in those days." Not alone among the lead-
ers, where circumstances place them in the front, but in
the rank and file among the humble and unknown, were
men and women as true, as brave, as noble and good as
they.

We have seen already that troops had gone from the Pee
Dee to the neighborhood of Charleston in response to
the call of the Governor, but it is not known whether any
from this region were active participants in the menflor-
able struggle of June 28th. There is evidence that
Captain Wise, who was a Pee Dee man, was on Sullivan's
Island, only the day before, and that Captain Harrington
with a company of volunteers was at "Haddrell's Point,"
(now Mount Pleasant), and it is altogether probable that
one or both of these Companies had some part in the
memorable contest, which terminated so favorably to the
American arms. But in the presence of Moultrie,
Rutledge and Jasper, where artillery played the most im-
portant part in the fight, it is not likely that half drilled

82 History of Marlboro County.

militia should find prominent mention, and yet from the
correspondence of the men of Pee Dee it is clear that
they were under fire, and endured great privations for
some days in expectancy of the battle. And, without
positive proof, no reason is known for saying Marlboro
was not, represented in the fierce engagement that saved
Charleston for a time, repulsed the foe, and gave com-
parative repose to the whole province for a considerable
time.

It was only six days after the brilliant victory at Fort
Moultrie that the Continental Congress, on July 4th, 1776,
adopted the Declaration of Independence. South Caro-
lina heartily approved the Act, and at a court for the
Cheraws held in November following, the Grand Jury said
in their presentment: "It is with the highest pleasure
that the Grand Jury for the District df Cheraws embrace
this first opportunity of congratulating our fellow citizens
and xA.merican brethren on the late declaration of the
Continental Congress, constituting the united colonies of
North America free and independent states, and the in-
habitants thereof totally absolved from any allegiance to
the British Crown." It was not until the autumn of 1778
that another court was held for the Cheraws, and that
was the last till the war was ended.

After their signal repulse at Moultrie the British directed
their operations against the northern and more populous
colonies, and the people of South Carolina enjoyed a
season of comparative quiet. Now and then a band of
Tories would dash across the border upon a foray of
plunder, but even they appeared to be awed by the suc-
cesses of the patriots in the first and only considerable
engagement on Carolina ground. To be sure, there was
one here and there so fired with the spirit of resistance*
and so determined to be free, that if not needed within
their own borders, would seek the service and march to
the front, though far from their own hearthstones. Such

History of Marlboro County. 83

an one was Joshua Ammons, now with Marion in the
swamps of Pee Dee, then in the Continental line an order-
ly sergeant with LaFayette,or with Greene — he seemed to
watch the progress of events and where the bullets flew
thickest, there he was found ready to hurl death and de-
fiance into the ranks of the foe, and, the war over, to settle
down an humble, consistent Christian man.

About the close of 1778 the clouds again grew thick and
lowering. December witnessed the fall of Savannah and,
judging from a note in the journal of Mr. Pugh, the pastor
at Welsh Neck, and an ardent patriot, it is inferred that
troops from the Pee Dee suffered in that catastrophe.
On the 2ist he preached a sermon to his people for the
youths lost at Savannah and says, "We lost many youths.*'
At the siege of Savannah, Samuel Wise, who had risen to
a Major's commission, a gallant son of Pee Dee, "fell
at the post of duty" in the thickest of the fight. He left
no son to bear his name, but his devotion to his country's
cause entitles his name to grateful memory. South Caro-
lina was now to become the theatre of active operations.
General Prevost, with a large force, was marching towards
Charleston. Again the metropolis was threatened with
blood and carnage, and again large drafts of the militia
were called into service. A regiment from the Pee Dee,
under the command of Col. Mcintosh, responded to the
call. But unexpectedly Prevost withdrew and the fall
of Charleston was delayed for a time; and the country had
a brief rest from the ravages of war, only as the "sons of
liberty,"felt called to chastise some band of lawless Tories,
who, taking advantage of the absence of the men in camp,
would make a. dash for plunder, or to murder some noted
Whig who had made himself obnoxious to them by his
bold declarations or zeal for the cause of independence.
And yet, as the year 1779 drew to a close, men felt that
the struggle was yet before them; and that the storm was
gathering. But the Whigs in the Pee Dee region, not less

84 History of Marlboro County,

than their compatriots in other portions of the State, were
ready to make good their declarations, to "sacrifice life
and fortune," rather than rest under the heel of British
oppression.

CHAPTER XII.
Thomas Parker and Others.

The author will be excused for a more extended notice
of the name which he has borne for now nearly three
score years and ten, inasmuch as the material is more
abundant, not only in Gregg's History, but among the
records of the family.

In the year 1699 Tristram Thomas emigrated from Wales
to the province of Maryland. He was the father of ten
children, and died in 1746. His oldest son, Stephen,
came to North Carolina about 1750. He too had a large
family, nine sons and four daughters. Of the other sons
of Tristram, tradition says, some remained in Maryland
and others went into Pennsylvania and regions farther
west. About 1759 Robert, the first son of Stephen, came
to Marlboro with his wife, Mary Sands, of Virginia, and
was soon followed by at least three younger brothers,
Lewis, Philemon, and Tristram. The two first settled
among the colony of Friends in the neighborhood of
Pine Grove, now Adamsville. Tristram settled at what is
now McCall's Mills, which he is said to have first built.
He afterwards became prominent in public affairs, took
a leading part in the Revolutionary struggle, rising to a
Major's commission. After the war, he was well known
as General of Militia, an honored member of the Legis-
ture, and a leader in organizing municipal affairs in the
infancy of Marlboro District, as it was first called. He
was as prominent in religious affairs as in civil. He
reared a large family, most of whom scattered, except that
model of a Christian gentleman, and District officer, the
late James C. Thomas, who remained and died among us at
a ripe old age, the last of his generation. The General
died in 1810.

86 History of Marlboro County,

It is said that either Lewis or Philemon, more likely
the latter, married a Miss Breeden, and after the birth of
a daughter, who became the second wife of Moses Parker,
he died, and his widow married Jessie Bethea, the father
of the late Jessie Bethea, of Adamsville. The other
brother went to Illinois. Robert, the older brother, who
settled near where the present town of Tatum is located,
waa long known as a Baptist preacher. The church at
Salem was organized under his labors, also Catfish in our
sister county of Marion. He died in Britton's Neck, of
that county, while upon a preaching tour in 1817, in the
eighty-fourth year of his age. He was the father of three
daughters and nine sons. Nathan, John S., Robert W.,
Eli, and William have their descendants in the county,
and a daughter, the grandmother of Colonel and Tristram
Covington, is also numerously represented among the
good citizens of the land. We sincerely wish that all the
old families in the country could have preserved their
genealogical tables as well as this one has. The writer
is the fifth from Tristram of Wales, and has upon record
the names and dates of birth of ten children. Stephen,
first son of Tristram, had thirteen children. Robert, his
first son, had twelve. William, his son, counted fourteen,
and this writer, the son of William, has numbered
eleven.

Upon some other lines, the multiplication has been as
large. Other families have borne the name in this coun-
try, and do now. We have asked them if their descent
can go back to the first Tristram. If so, they are en-
titled to a place among the branches of the old tree first
planted upon American soil in 1699, as an importation
from the "County Cairmarthen, Principality of Wales."

About the same time that the above family reached
Marlboro, or a little later, there seems to have come a
number of substantial people whose ancestors from the
British Isles had landed in Maryland and Pennsylvania, but

History of Marlboro County, 87

who now sought a warmer clime. Some of them came
direct from Maryland, and others followed after a brief stay
in Virginia and North Carolina. Their good judgment was
shown in selecting the well-watered, finely timbered, fer-
tile plains of Adamsville and Hebron. They at first gave
to this choice region the designation which still cleaves to
a portion of it, "Beauty Spot." Among these settlers
were Moses Parker, a man of substantial worth and firm-
ness of character, and his brother John, a reckless, dash-
ing young fellow who threw his whole soul into the pa-
triotic cause, and of whom the tradition said, "He'd rath-
er shoot a Tory than a snake." Moses was a serious-
minded Christian man, with a family dependent upon him,
yet spent part of the time in the patriot army. He was
twice married, his second wife being Miss Thomas, as
mentioned above. Poor, when the first marriage was
contracted, spending his last five shillings as a marriage
fee, he not only made a living for his twenty-two child-
ren, but acquired large possessions of splendid lands,
flocks and herds, that roamed at will over the thousands
of broad acres called his own. One of his daughters by
the first marriage became the wife of that staunch old
Whig, the celebrated Joshua Ammons, a man of great firm-
ness of character and solid worth. He once, when under the
command of the Marquis LaFayette, seeing his General
wounded, took him in his arms and bore him to a place
of safety. Years after, when the Marquis visited the land
he had helped to free, the humble Ammons, with many
others, made a tedious pilgrimage to look into the face
of that grand old Frenchman, who, seeing his former com-
rade and benefactor, embraced and blessed him for the
unforgotten deed of kindness. The memory of Ammons
is still a sacred legacy to his posterity, some of whom are
yet among us, proud to have their descent from so true
and brave a man, who has not only written his name
upon the annals of his country with the warrior's sword,

88 History of Marlboro County,

but has also left a pure record as a follower of the Prince
of Peace upon the pages of the "Old Church Book" at Beav-
erdam, alongside that of his venerated father-in-law, Mo-
ses Parker. From the twenty-two children of the patriarch
Parker has come a numerous progeny of the excellent
people of this ancient community. The only surviving
son, *Mr. Philip Parker, lives near his birthplace, on land
inherited from his father, in a vigorous old age, having
seen his eightieth Christmas. He is yet brimming full
of life and humor, himself a veritable patriarch, living
joyously with the wife of his youth, who has honored him
with sixteen children, eleven of whom are alive. From
his lips the writer has received much valuable material,
drawn from the stores of a wonderful memory, still fresh
and exact, of the traditions of the past, learned from the
old people he knew in his boyhood and earlier years.

Mrs. Parker, like her husband, is also one of twenty-two
children of the late Joshua Fletcher. Raiford, the father
of Joshua, John, and Mrs. Axey Bundy, came to Marl-
boro about 1815 and although so much later than the
times of which these pages treat, such has been the prom-
inence and growth of the family that it demands some
space in these annals.

Mr. Fletcher and wife, Sallie HoUiway, came from
Wayne county, N. C. The first wife of Joshua was
Miss Nancy Smith, his second a daughter of Moses
Parker. His sons who came to manhood and reared
families were Raiford, Thomas, John S., Nicholas,
Joshua, William and Lewis. The daughters married
*'Branch" Billy Adams, Robert Adams, Jephtha Adams,
Philip Parker, Noah Gibson, Shockley Adams, J. M. Gib-
son and Jno. L. Easterling. Mrs. Jephtha Adams and
Mrs. Noah Gibson were twin sisters and so nearly alike in
size and features, and dress and voice, that persons not
altogether familiar with them found it difficult to dis-

*Since died.

History of Marlboro County, 89

tinguish one from the other, and as the young maidens
grew up they sometimes amused themselves by innocently
playing "Who Is It ? " *'Is it Julia or Ann ?" Young Jephtha
thought that he knew them apart, and likewise thought he
loved Julia. Ann suspected that a courtship had begun,
^and on one occasion, when Jephtha made his appearance
at the old Fletcher homestead, she got the start of her
sister, placed herself "in the way" and sure enough **Jep
drew up beside her," and began to whisper in her ear
the soft tones of his tender emotion. Smiling at her suc-
cess in the discovery of the secret she fled from his pres-
ence and sent Julia to his side, who, not long afterwards
became Mrs. Jephtha Adams; the mischievous Ann in time
became Mrs. Noah Gibson. With only the State line and
a mile of intervening space between them, the twin sisters
dwelt side by side until Mrs. Gibson went over the line
that separates earth from heaven.

To return to the traditions as remembered by Philip
Parker it is said that in those dark days, when the party
lines were strongly drawn, and "Tories preyed on Whigs,
and Whigs chastised Tories," it came to pass that a Whig
by the name of Reed came from camp "on leave of
absence." His presence at home being discovered, a
party of Tories surrounded his house, cutting off his escape
before they were seen. The poor man climbed into the
loft of his humble dwelling in the vain effort to conceal
himself. "He was ordered to descend and surrender, or
the house would be burned over his head." In his ex-
tremity he consented to come down and surrender as a
prisoner of war, if they would spare the house. But as he
descended and approached the door they shot him dead.
Tidings of the outrage rapidly spread in the neighbor-
hood. A little band of Whigs soon collected, and, pursu-
ing the raiders, came upon them at another home, not far
from where the Rev. W. K. Breeden now lives. So in-
tent were the raiders upon their work of plunder, ripping

90 History of Marlboro County.

the beds and filling the ticks with booty, that when their
pursuers dashed upon them, they broke for the swamp
of Beverly Creek, so hotly pursued by the Whigs that the
spoil was recovered, and one of the Whigs captured a
splendid horse which, of couse, he never returned to the
owner. *

The Lesters also trace their origin from Maryland,
William, their ancestor, coming from that province about
this time. He was the father of Thomas, Nimrod, Bright,
and Mrs. Charles Manship. Thomas Lester was the
grandfather of the present family in Marlboro county.
Charles Manship, who was a wild youth until his marriage,
became a Christian, went to school for a time, entered
the Methodist ministry, and from him has sprung a re-
spectable family.

Tradition tells of a fine colony of Friends who came
into this portion of Marlboro before the Revolutionary
war; Ways, Mendenhall, and other sober, industrious,
honest people who built for themselves a house of wor-
ship at Pine Grove. But when the Revolution ended,
and the new government reorganized, these men felt
that slavery had become a fixture in the South — an in-
stitution that they religiously believed a wrong, and
that its existence among them must hamper their en-
terprise, and possibly corrupt the religion of their pos-
terity — they sold their lands and left in a body for what
was then called the "Northwest Territory." The house of
worship was used in common by Baptists and Methodists
for a season, but eventually went into the possession of
the latter, where there has long existed one of their most
influential communities. The Baptists ultimately staked
down at Beaverdam.

Among other elements that entered into the composition
of the population in eastern Marlboro the Scottish is
worthy of mention. Two old men, natives of Scotland,
are remembered by Mr. Parker, the brothers, John, and

History of Marlboro County, 91

James McCoy (sometimes written McKay). John lived
at the mill on Bear Creek, just within South Carolina.
One of his sons, Daniel, became a Baptist preacher. With
a rich, Scotch accent, his hearers were sometimes amused
at his quaint way of putting religious truths. Preaching
on the evils of pride, how insinuating, and deceptive, he
sang out, "Why, brethren, I used to think I was not proud,
but when I came to know myself, I found out that I was
proud because I wasrit proud." Some one is said to have
asked him why he read out his hymns in such a ** sing-
song sort of a tone," and he answered ** Well, you all sing
so badly, that if I don't sing it out, it won't get sung."^
Good old man, he " went West " in his old age, and took
an interesting family with him.

The other brother lived a mile or two lower down, o»
the hanks of the Little Pee Dee. Mr. 'Truss" Bethea
married one of his daughters, and has left a highly re-
spected posterity.*

It would hardly be doing justice to the information
received from Mr. Parker if no mention was to be made
of some of the other neighbors of his father.

William Leggett, who ** took up" a large territory of
land on Beaverdam and Panther Creeks, around the site of
McCoU, lived at what is now known as McLaurin's
Mill, during the Revolution. He was the father of
James, the father of Salathiel and Sherrad, from whom
the numerous connections in this and neighboring coun-
ties are descended.

Isaac Pipkin came into the neighborhood from Wayne
county, N. C. in the early years of the present century^
with his excellent wife, Mary Benton, and from this
couple have descended many of the present, population
of the community. Mrs. Lewis Parker, Mrs. William
Lester, and Mrs. N. M. Gibson, were daughters of Squire

*T. H. Bethea, his only surviving son, lives on the large estate left by
his father.

92 History of Marlboro County,

Pipkin, and the name, as borne by several young men
among us, has descended from this one North Carolina
Scotchman.

Another extensive family in this portion of the
country for a century past has been the Easterlings.
They have a tradition that the first bearer of the
name landed in Baltimore. When, it is not known,
but like many others, they drifted southward, and
May 24th, 1733, near the mouth of the Neuse river,
in North Carolina, Henry Easterling was born. He
was bred a Churchman, but embraced Baptist principles
in 1760, and two years afterwards entered the ministry,
accepting charge of the Hitchcock church in Anson
county. His wife was Miss Ellen Bennett, who blessed
him with ten children. About 1772 we find him in Marl-
boro. In that year he aided in organizing the Beaver-
dam Baptist Church, which was at first called "Beauty
Spot" and worshipped not far from "Beauty Spot Bridge."
Mr. Easterling was chosen the first pastor and continued
in office for a number of years. The probability is that
some of his family remained in Anson, and that others
came with him to "Beauty Spot." Two of his sons, at
least, raised families here. Shadrach, father of the late
Capt. Henry, and Mrs. Betsy Odom; and William, for
many years "Ordinary" of his district and the father of a
large family of sons and daughters. His wife was Miss
Covington, of Richmond county, North Carolina. From
these two brothers, Shadrach and William Easterling, has
descended a very extensive connection. While the late
war between the States was going on two or three young
men stationed near Charleston instituted an inquiry
through the. papers of the day, to ascertain how many
Easterlings were in the Confederate army. Sixty-three
responded, tracing their descent to the old preacher,
Henry Easterling. Twelve gallant young men of this
name were in a single one of the eight companies raised

History of Marlboro County, 93

in Marlboro. Brave boys! many sleep in the soldier's
grave, but your surviving comrades forget you not. Ye
stood amid the pelting lead, daring to do, and to die.
Calm be your rest.

William Bennett, ancestor of a family of that name,
came originally from Maryland to Anson county, N. C.
where he was living during the revolution. He was a
Baptist preacher, yet spent some time with the patriot
army. He seems to have made himself especially ob-
noxious to the Tories, who fired a volley into his dwelling
in Anson. Whether it was the prayers or the sword of
the old man the enemy most hated, the tradition did not
say. He soon after made his home on Crooked Creek in
Marlboro, about a mile above what is known as the "Burnt
Factory," where he raised his family and where his ashes
lie in ground still owned by his posterity. William, Jo-
seph and Nevil, his sons, have representatives in this and
Marion County. Eli Willis, the progenitor of that fami-
ly also, came from Maryland, and married a daughter of
Mr. Bennett, and from this couple Milby, Jas. B. and
others sprang. A number of worthy young people
promise to perpetuate the name. Sam Edwards, who
lived for a time at the Ervin place, also married into the
Bennett family.

Old Mr. John Hamer, who has left a numerous family
to inherit his name, was also descended from an old
Marylander, William Hamer, who settled in Anson, and
married a Miss Hicks. John found his wife in Marlboro
in 1 791, near the old court-house. Miss Nancy Cochran.
Daniel H., William, Thos. C, Henry C, Robert, James
and Alfred, Mrs. Nicholls, Mrs. Caleb Curtis, Mrs. Jeph-
tha Robinson, the second wife of Eli Thomas, Mrs. J. B.
Willis and Mrs. Rowland, were the children of this mar-
riage. After the death of the first Mrs.. Hamer, the old
gentleman married a daughter of Mr. Nathan Thomas, of
Hebron, and the late Philip M. and the Rev. Lewis M.

94 History of Marlboro County,

Hamer were born of that marriage. Nobody can take it
amiss if the pen of a comrade should single out one from
this worthy group of fifteen, and give to him special men-
tion. It may be because of a closer intimacy and better
knowledge of his worth, that the writer puts him down as
among the best of men. We slept under the same blanket
upon the naked earth, trod step by step the same tented
field, knelt side by side at the same camp fire, and ate
from the same dish. Under all the trying circumstances
of life in camp, we found Philip Hamer the same noble
man, the same true friend, and the tribute here left to his
memory is prompted by the affectionate remembrance
of true worth. It was with sincerest pleasure that we
all, as a forlorn hope, cast our ballots for P. M. Hamer
for the House of Representatives in 1876. He filled his
place in the memorable Wallace House. He was return-
ed, and filled other positions in the gift of his people, and
when in 1887 they laid his body to rest beside his kindred
dust, Marlboro buried one of her noblest sons.

CHAPTER XIII.

Progress of Revolution.

If hitherto the patriots in Carolina had occasion for
rejoicing that they had gained some victories, and gener-
ally held their own against superior forces, the year 1780
opened with gloomy prospects for the cause of liberty.
The approach of great armies threatened their feeble
defenses. Charleston was again to be besieged, and the
Pee Dee militia were called to aid in its defense. A por-
tion of the regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel Kolb and
another division under Colonel Hicks, with Major Tris-
tram Thomas, all men of Marlboro, were put upon the
march to the scene of conflict, while another detach-
ment under Major Benton remained upon the Pee Dee
under arms to watch the movements of the Tories, who
were always especially active in predatory warfare when
any considerable portion of the available men were away
from home. Charleston was taken after a heroic defense
of about forty days. Tidings of the British success, and
surrender of so many of the best men of the land, filled
the inhabitants of the whole country with consternation
and alarm. The approach of Wemys with his troopers,
to reap the fruits of victory, intimidated many into an
enforced allegiance to British rule. His progress was
marked with blood, destruction and conflagration, and it
is not surprising if many submitted, while others yielded
in form, with a secret reservation to resist when oppor-
tunity offered. Few were bold enough to answer as old
Thomas Ayer did when urged by his neighbors to accept
the protection tendered: ''It is not a question of property,
but of liberty y And yet the cruelties perpetrated by the
British and Tories inspired a spirit of resistance and

96 History of Marlboro County.

revenge that atoned in large measure for their partial
temporary demoralization. Wemys did not long remain
at Cheraw, but moved down the river to Georgetown,
and thence to Broad river, where he was captured by
General Sumter, and is said to have experienced unex-
pected humane treatment from the men he had wronged.
The men whom he plundered — whose houses he had fired,
had the honor to treat him as a prisoner of war.

In June of this year, 1780, Major McArthur, with his
regiment of Highlanders, came from Camden to Cheraw
to have a convenient correspondence with the Tories,
and strengthen their cause, and forage upon the wealthy
planters of the Pee Dee. For a little while he made his
headquarters at Long Bluff. There it is said he **offered
a reward for the capture of Thomas Ayer," a noted Whig
of Marlboro and a terror to the Tories. He had led a
band of daring scouts against a nest of Tories, whom he
severely punished by hanging a number of them. Mc-
Arthur's reward was soon won by a company of Ayer's
Tory neighbors. They tied their captive with buckskin
strings, which of course would stretch when wet. But
about the time they reached Hunt's Bluff on their way
to ** Headquarters," a terrific thunderstorm broke upon
them. As the river was to be crossed and several miles
traveled before reaching Long Bluff, it was decided to
keep their prisoner guarded in an old out-house near the
river till the next morning's dawn, and then resume their
journey. Thinking that the prisoner was secure, some of
the party, including the leader, went off in search of sup-
per, leaving, as they supposed, a sufficient guard. In the
meantime Hartwell Ayer, the brother of Thomas, got
word of what was going on, and in the darkness of the
night dashed up to the door of his brother's prison. In
a rage he dispatched most of the guard, and sent Thomas
back to his home to relieve the anxieties of his household,
while Hartwell and his party went in pursuit of other game

History of Marlboro County, 97

and left bleeding and wounded two more of the party
they had so unceremoniously cheated out of the coveted
reward. McArthur was terribly incensed when he heard
of the fatal miscarriage of his cherished scheme and
crossed the river with a formidable party. Mrs. Ayer
with two sons, Lewis Malone and Zaccheus, had barely
time to escape to a hiding place in the swamps. Foiled
again, the desperate McArthur burned the dwellings,
killed the stock, sparing only a barn filled with corn,
which he probably meant for his own horses, but which
was hastily removed and secured for the family when the
British left. An humble, faithful neighbor by the name
of James Sweat (a kinsman of the family, of that name
now living in the county), in the kindness of his heart, fed
Mrs. Ayer and her boys for several weeks. Mr. Sweat
afterwards became a Baptist preacher of useful life in the
State of Georgia. Nathan Sweat, the brother of James,
was caught about this time by some of McArthur's party
and was held as a prisoner for some days. Discovering
which was the fastest horse in the camp, he managed to
mount him one day and instantly made a dash for liberty.
The friendly swamp received him and stealthily he work-
ed his way to his mother's door for a morsel of food, and
as she hastily reached it to his hand she cried "Nathan,
the enemy is upon you"; quick as thought the spurs were
applied and again he flew, his pursuers at his heels. The
steps lengthened between them, and McArthur was worst-
ed again and Sweat caught no more, but "lived to fight
again."

But in the progress of events, it was thought needful
to withdraw the force under McArthur to a situation less
exposed. Reports of advancing Continentals caused the
advanced posts like Cheraw,where McArthur had returned,
to be drawn in. Accordingly about the last of July, pre-
parations were completed. A portion of the troops,
along with the sick and a number of negroes whom they

98 History of Marlboro County,

had captured and persuaded to leave their masters, were
to be sent down to the river on boats to Georgetown,
Somehow or other the Whigs in the neighborhood con-
ceived the idea of capturing this flotilla. James Gillespie
a man of much influence, has been awarded the praise for
this bold idea. As he moved down the river with a few
trusted neighbors, the patriotic citizens gathered to give
aid. Major Tristram Thomas was given command. Hunt's
Bluff was chosen as the point of attack. In a sudden
bend of the river, a battery was thrown up immediately
upon the bank. Was it armed ? Yes, with threatening
looking cannon, but wooden, harmless guns. After awhile
the silent garrison beheld the floating armada slowly
descending the stream. Thomas made as formidable a
show of his little command as he could ; some of them
armed with pieces as harmless as the pole cannon mount-
ed upon the bank. Yet he boldly demanded an uncon-
ditional surrender ; and it was made, and more than a
hundred prisoners were sent to North Carolina. Scarcely
had the bloodless action ended before a large boat on its
way from Georgetown to Cheraw with supplies for Mc Ar-
thur hove in sight, as it was being pushed up the stream-
It too, was turned over to the American army. It were
well if all the enterprises of the American army could
have been as successful and bloodless. But not so.

A few days after the events just recorded General
Gates made his appearance on the Pee Dee at and above
Cheraw, with a considerable force, on his way to Camden.
His presence revived the hopes of the people wonder-
fully. He offered " pardon to all who had subscribed
paroles imposed upon them by the hand of conquest,"
■excepting, of course, such as had turned their hand
against the patriot cause. Hope again came to the
■despondent. Hope, which alas, was to be tried most
sorely by Gates' defeat at Camden and his consequent
retreat through the country into North Carolina For a

History of Marlboro County. 99

time the warfare on the upper Pee Dee again became
desultory and irregular, but of a most distressing nature.
Nobody knew when a band of Tories would sweep down
upon a quiet neighborhood, drive off the stock, set fire
to the buildings and fences, and murder some well-known
Whig. But towards the end of the year the coming of
General Greene in the State, and to the Pee Dee, inspired
confidence again. Although the results of the year's cam-
paign had been, on the whole, against the cause of liberty,
it required but a spark to set the people all ablaze with
enthusiasm for the cause they had espoused. Their
spirits, sometimes disheartened, but never crushed, now
revived again. Sufferings chastened but could not extin-
guish the love of liberty, nor could disaster quench the
purpose to defend their rights to the bitter end.

CHAPTER XIV.
Traditions from Col. John Covington.

A chapter of traditions obtained from Colonel John
Covington two months before his death. The Colonel
was a remarkable man, born in ** Hebron, the garden spot
of the sacred soil of Marlboro," as he would characterize
it, in the year i8oi . He lived a quiet, useful life among his
own people, and when interrogated could recall the names
and deeds of many no longer known on earth. Never
stout and strong physically, his cheerful, hopeful spirits, his
joyous, fun-loving temperament, gave him a young heart in
his old age. Although looking, waiting for the call to
join his loved ones gone before to the "shining shore,*' he
was not averse to telling of the men and women whom he
knew in the days of his youth as the companions of his
sports. He was familiar with many of the traditions of
the old people which had been handed down from parent
to child— traditions which should be treasured by those
now living, and in turn, handed down by them to future
generations. The daily newspaper was in those days
unknown and the book agent had not found his way to
the homes of He*bron, for "Hebron" it was called in the
Colonel's boyhood. His old uncle, Nathan Thomas^
"Gumfoot," as he was nicknamed from his cork bottom
shoe made to lengthen a leg broken by a fall from his
wagon, had, in the century past, given the beautiful sec-
tion this name in memory of the fair inheritance given
the patriarch Caleb in reward for his fidelity and valor.

John, the grandfather of the Colonel, had won the af-
fections of Elizabeth, the daughter of Rev. Robert
Thomas, and, leaving his five brothers in Richmond coun-
ty, North Carolina, had settled upon the north side of Lit-

History of Marlboro County, loi

tie Pee Dee in Robeson, North Carolina, and was building
up a comfortable home when the revolution came on. His
sympathy with the patriot cause soon made him an ob-
ject of dislike to his loyalist neighbors, who stripped him
of his means of living and left him with nothing but his fam-
ily. Leaving his wife and babies with her friends, he
sought his revenge in the ranks of the patriot army. When
the war ended, he settled upon a farm beside his brother-
in-law, Nathan Thomas, upon the plains of Hebron. His
children were William, "Truss," Robert, Nancy, Polly and
Thomas. The last named married Miss Sallie Cook and
left a numerous posterity. Robert and Tristram seem
to have died childless. Nancy married an Easterlingand
Polly a Mr. Conner. William married 'Miss Mary Brid-
ges, who had previously married a Mr. Connor, and was
the mother of Ira and Nancy, who became Mrs. FredMc-
Daniel. The children of William Covington were John,
Henry, Tristram, Nellie, first wife of Lewis Spears, and the
first wife of Daniel Parham, and the first wife of Wm.
Baggett.

All the sons of Wm. Covington, who was a man of ex-
cellent character, were men of more than ordinary prom-
inence in the affairs of the country. Tristram, both in his
own conduct and in that of his sons, has commanded the
respect and confidence of his countrymen. He and his
oldest son, James, have held positions of trust and re-
sponsibility in county affairs. Henry was for a long
time successor to the Colonel in command of the Hebron
company during "ante-bellum** times. Harris, the only
son of Capt. Henry, arose to a captaincy in the late "war
between the States." He was a lawyer of much prom-
inence, and was considered one of the most brilliant young
men in the country. His friends ran him for a seat in
Congress after "reconstruction," and, while he received a
large vote, he was defeated by the solid colored majority.
Gifted though he was, he died in the prime of life, and

102 History of Marlboro County,

his manly form sleeps in the same cemetery where lies so
many of Hebron's sons.

John Bridges, the maternal grandfather of the Coving-,
tons, came to Carolina from the province of Maryland
sometime before the Revolution, and was soon followed
by others of his family.

Our friend, Col. Covington, remembered hearing Frank
Bridges, a kinsman, relate at a dinner party that when a
boy he had enlisted in the army. Because of his size and
extreme youth General Marion kept him about his own
person, sometimes as a courier and sometimes as a cook,
and that he it was who roasted the ''historic potatoes"
that Marion set before the British officer. The family of
this Frank Bridges removed to Alabama in after years,
and he is supposed to have been the ancestor of the late
Judge Bridges, of Alabama, who married a daughter of
David Bethea, elsewhere mentioned. John Bridges, tra-
dition says, left his wife and children behind when he
started south in search of a better country. When his
eyes rested upon the beautiful, well-watered, fertile plains
of Hebron, he concluded that "the better land" was found.
Being a good mechanic, he went to work to build a
house. He hired and sent a messenger back to Maryland
for his wife and children. Mrs. B. was, however, afraid
to make the pilgrimage with a stranger. How did she
know that he was a "true man" and that her husband had
sent him? She declined to undertake the journey. The
messenger insisted that he was a "true man," and that
Bridges had sent him. Finally the doubting wife con-
sented that if the messenger would return to Carolina, and
take back to her the horse that her husband had carried
from Maryland, that she would know that her husband had
sent him and would believe that he was a "true man" and
willingly go with him. Back to the goodly land of Heb-
ron the messenger came. Bridges loved his wife and
babes and could rely on the promise. The old Maryland

History of Marlboro County, 103

steed was saddled, and the messenger furnished with
another horse, and across two States he again pursued his
way. When Mrs. Bridges saw the sleek old charger,
token of her husband's love, her scruples gave way to her
devotion to the man she loved, and mounting, she rode on
horseback across two States to the husband of her youth,
bringing her two children with her to her new southern
home. "Heroines in that day"! Yes, and Rebeccas since
the age of Abraham and Isaac. Don't ask me why Brid-
ges did not go himself. His grandson did not know.
He did say that Mollie, one of those little ones brought
on horseback from Maryland, grew up to womanhood and
first gave her young affections to John Stubbs, and after
his death she became the fifth wife of John David, who
had already several children in his house. She carried
three more and Eliza was born in the forty-sixth year of
her mother's life. Another daughter of Mr. Bridges,
Elizabeth, married Lewis Stubbs, the great-grandfather of
our fellow citizens, William, and Wyriott, and the late Al-
bert Stubbs. Sallie, another daughter, married Jonathan
Cottingham, from whom the Hebron family of that name
sprang. Nancy became Mrs. Conner first and then Mrs.
Covington, mother of the Colonel. John Bridges, son of
William, married a sister of Jonathan Cottingham, and bar-
gains of this sort have been so frequent among the good
people of Hebron until it is hard to find families not re"
lated to each other, and some of them can scarcely tell
what kin they are to each other.

Another old resident of this community was Richard
Edens. He was the father of Allen, long known as a
Methodist preacher, whose first wife was Miss Fuller, a
sister of the Henry Fuller of ginger-cake notoriety.
They became the ancestors of several well-known citizens
of Marlboro in later years. Asa, Alfred, Henry, who
went into the late war as Captain of cavalry; Allen, a
lieutenant of the same company, and T. Nelson, Colonel

104 History of Marlboro County.

of militia, a member of the Legislature of the celebrated
Wallace House. He was re-elected in 1878 and again in
1888. After the death of his first wife, Reverend Edens
married Mrs. Ann McDaniel, the daughter of Nathan
Thoma^, who bore him two daughters, one of whom is the
wife of Alex. Heustiss.

Jonathan Meekins was an early resident of this com-
munity. He lived and died at the forks of the road,
where Capt. J. T. Covington, who married a grand-
daughter of Mr. Meekins, now resides. It is quite pro-
bable that Jonathan's parents lived somewhere in this
section, for a sister of his married the elder James Spears,
in 1777. Jonathan, like most of his neighbors, raised a
large family, and possessing large tracts of land, settled
them around him. Their farms were noted for their neat,
beautiful buildings and fences. But amid the changes of
time no man of the name lives now upon the inheritance,
although the blood of old Jonathan yet tells in various
families of other names. Philip P., of Bennettsville.
bears the marks and some of the characteristics of his
worthy ancestry. "A place for everything, and every-
thing in its place." **System, order, the law of life,'* were
prevailing influences in that home from cellar to garret.

CHAPTER XV.

Operations on Pee Dee, 1781. Col. Kolb.

The presence of Gen. Greene upon the Pee Dee opposite
Cheraw for several weeks had encouraged the spirits of
the people, and awed the disaffected into comparative
order.

Col. Kolb was in favor with his countrymen and exer-
cised a commanding influence in all the Cheraw district.
Murphy down the river, Benton on the west side and
Marion, from Lynch's creek to Georgetown, held in check
the marauders and gave some security to the people. The
stay of Greene was brief. The movements of Cornwallis
in the upper part of the State induced Greene to move in
the direction of Guilford court house, and the Whigs of
the Pee Dee were again left to their own resources. The
Tories, ever ready to seize on any advantage, now
made frequent incursions on defenseless persons and
property, concealing their plunder and themselves in the
swamps. It was a hazardous service that devolved upon
the Whigs. It is said that a band of Tories had 'a hiding
place in the **Three Creeks" at no great distance from
where Blenheim now stands, and, this fact becoming
known to the Whigs, it was determined to break them up.
The assaulting party came quietly to the edge of the
swamp, but could see no signs of the enemy's presence.
They had reason to believe that they were near the camp,
but they knew not exactly its location and had no guide.
Amongst the Whig party was a daring young man, Harry
Sparks, who volunteered to enter the swamp alone, locate
the enemy and report the situation to his comrades. He
found the camp, but returned not to his friends. The
treacherous foe had discovered and captured him. His

io6 History of Marlboro County,

friends became uneasy at his stay and, following his tracks,
they soon reached the deserted camp where hung the
lifeless body of their daring comrade. Of course the
fleeing Tories were pursued for miles, far into North
Carolina. One of the pursuers was wounded and two
of the mulatto Tories were killed, and sometimes after-
wards another of the party was caught and charged with
aiding in the murder of Sparks. He confessed it and was
instantly hung. This was the sort of warfare that was
common in all this region for months and years.

Not long after returning from his chase of the murder-
ers of Sparks, Col. Kolb made an expedition into what is
now Marion county. Some outrages had been perpetrated
there— in the neighborhood ot Hulin's mill — now Moody's
mill. Several Tories, who had made themselves especi-
ally obnoxious were caught; some punished, some **dis-
charged on promise of good behaviour", and two or three
killed. Kolb returned to his home at Welsh Neck, and
dismissed his men in the belief that things would be quiet
for a time.

Instead of awing those turbulent spirits into order his
retaliatory measures awoke a terrible spirit of revenge,
and especially against the leader of the Whigs. No
blood but his would slake their thirst; no life but his
atone for the lives he had taken. Suspecting that he
would dismiss his men for a time his enemies made haste
to perfect their plans, collect their forces and set out on
the hunt for revenge. It was less than forty miles to the
happy home of Col. Kolb. At a late hour of night they
surrounded his house. Roused from slumber thus sud-
denly, the first impulse of a brave spirit was to defend
his property and loved ones to the last. Mrs. Kolb and
an only daughter, who became the wife of Major Pouncey,
and two sisters, one of whom became Mrs. Edwards, and
was the great-grandmother of Mrs. Dr. Bonchier, lately of
Bennettsville, and another sister who afterwards married

History of Marlboro Coufity, 107"

Evander Mclver, constituted the family. Two young'
men named Evans were also present as guests of the
family. Kolb knew his foe — that they had come for
his life — and he was determined to resist. The house
was strongly built, the party inside well armed, and might
have had some hope, although an overpowering force
surrounded them. But in the darkness the stealthy foe
had fired the house. Resistance was useless. The ladies-
saw the peril and entreated the Colonel to surrender him-
self as a prisoner of war. He made the proposition, it
was accepted, and, accompanied by his wife and her sis-
ters and his daughter, he stepped out ready to surrender
his sword. A traitorous shot was fired by a Tory named
Goings and the gallant Colonel fell at his own door and
at the feet of his loved ones a martyr to his country's
cause. One of the young Evans was mortally wounded^
The dwelling was hastily plundered and the Tories quickly
fled in the direction from whence they came, doubtless
exulting in their successful exploit and wishing for an-
other victim. Nor had they long to wait. On the route
to Catfish was "Brown's Mill," about a mile above the
present crossing at the old Rogers mill.

Here was a military post, at least a point sometimes
guarded. The guards were surprised, and Capt. Joseph
Dabbs, a noted Whig, whose home was in the neighbor-
hood of Evans' Mill, was killed, and Ned Trawick was
wounded, but escaped. On this same eventful day, April
28, 1 78 1, an old military prison near the residence" of
Col. Kolb was assaulted, and several prisoners were re-
leased. Moving down the river a'short distance, two of
the released Bristishers entered] the home of Mrs. Wilds^
a widowed lady, whom they supposed had money secreted
about her person, and violently robbed her of her coin.
But it was destined that their ill-gotten gain should serve
them but a few brief hours. Living in the marshes was a
frail, old man named Willis. Nobody thought it worth?

io8 History of Marlboro Cot4/ity.

while to trouble him. Silent and solitary he was allowed to
occupy the position of a neutral. Making a scanty sup-
port upon his little patch, and upon his shoemaker's
bench, he had nothing to tempt the cupidity of anybody,
hispoor little money was not worth stealing. The robber
Britons on their way from Mrs. Wilds encountered this
singular old man. He had seen the columns of smoke
ascending from his neighbor Kolb's house, had heard the
firing at early dawn, had, perhaps, seen the fleeing Tories,
and his smothered patriotism was kindled. His old long
barreled fowling piece was taken from the rack, heavily
charged, and as the redcoats drew nigh he pulled the
trigger at the instant they doubled before him, and the
two lay dead in the road. Hearing a few days later that
Mrs. Wilds had been robbed, he called to see her, and put
in her hand ** the package of coin, lOi guineas," the exact
amount which the soldiers had taken. In vain did she

nsist upon dividing the precious treasure with him whose
needs were as great as her own.

"Nay, nay," said the old man, "the money is yourn, it's
reward enough for me to be lucky enough to git it back
for ye." The tradition has not told where the ashes of
Willis lie, some quaint oak or elm may stand at his head
and overshadow his unknown resting place, or the swollen
waters of the Pee Dee may long ago have ploughed a
deep furrow through his lonely bed, and washed his de-
caying bones away, never to be found until the voice of
the archangel shall awake a slumbering race to life —
but let the generous deed of the humble, solitary old man
live in the memory of generations yet unborn. "Full

nany a gem of purest ray serene," etc.

In this connection Bishop Gregg gives his readers a
thrilling narrative from the lips of the venerable Lewis
Malone Ayer, of Barnwell. Mr. Ayer was the father of
Mrs. Judge A. P. Aldrich, and of Gen. L. M. Ayer, a
member of the Confederate Congress. He was quite young

History of Marlboro County. 109

when the events occurred which he related, but they were
of a character to make a profound impression upon his
mind.

Young Ayer was on a visit with his mother at the house
of a neighbor, close by Col. Kolb's, on the morning the
Colonel was killed. Young Ayer had been sent out on
a fleet horse at early dawn by his mother to carry tidings
of the death of one of her relatives to Col. Kolb, knowing
nothing of the tragedy at Kolb's house. Meeting old Mr.
William Forniss, together they rode up to the burning
building, having seen smoke and the returning horse
tracks of the assassins. They saw the weeping wife and
sisters with their dead, whom with their own hands
they had dragged to a safe distance from the flames.
But young Ayer could not tarry with those whom
he pitied, because information had reached him that
his brother-in-law Mr. James Magee, was that very
day to visit Col. Kolb by appointment. Magee lived in
the Brownsville community and must travel for a part of
the route over the same road which the Tories would
travel on their way to Catfish, from whence they came,
and if they met Magee it would be the last of him. To
get ahead of the Tories and turn Magee from the track
was the exploit before the boy Ayer. Excited by the
scenes before his eyes, and impelled by the desire to save
his ffiends life, he tried the well-known mettle of his
mare, who had done him good service of the like kind
before.

He had not calculated, however, that the Tories would
stop on the road for breakfast until he was almost within
their power, when he wheeled around and fled for dear life.
They fired too high to reach the boy who lay close to the
mane of the splendid mare, which they desired to cap-
ture unhurt. Fortunalely, however, there was a cow trail
with which Ayer was familiar, close at hand. Into this
he dashed and cross a boggy marsh, into which his pur-

no History of Marlboro County.

suers plunged, but, not knowing the track as he did, they
were soon floundering in the mud, and were glad to get
out again on their own side. Afraid that the youth would
dash ahead and warn the party at Brown's Mill of their
approach, the Tories, after this incident, increased their
speed and fortunately passed Magee's road before he en-
tered theirs, and this excellent citizen escaped their hands,
and lived for many years to see his (Children's children,
and died in his old age, sitting in his chair, with the Bible
lying open upon his knees. His ashes lie at old Browns-
ville. The first wife of the writer's father was a daughter
of James Magee, and died in 1820, the mother of nine
children, all of whom have since followed her to the
grave.

That was a sad day to the people of Cheraw District
when Abel Kolb fell by the hand of the foe. He was
recognized as the leader of the patriot influence. In com-
mand of the regiment, in the prime oi life, vigilant,
active, daring, he commanded the respect and confidence
of his countrymen far and near, and men were looking
upon his fast-developing abilities with admiration and
hope of a bright career, not only upon the field of strife,
but in the pursuits of peace as well. Already before the
war came on he was accumulating property and exhibit-
ing energy, enterprise, and skill in the management of
affairs. It is not surprising, therefore, if his loss produced
despondency in the hearts of some, and a burning for
revenge in others.

About this time, or a few weeks before the death of
Kolb, there was a skirmish of some importance at Cash-
way Ferry. A short distance from the landing on the
Marlboro side there stood a Baptist house of worship
where such men as Brown and Edwards had held forth
the Word of Life. It seems for a time to have been one
of the posts held by Kolb or Benton, his Lieutenant-colonel
and successor in command of the regiment. It was also

History of Marlboro County. 1 1 1

a convenient shelter for Tories when dodging around in
that region. Which party held the building at the time,
and which it was that made the assault the tradition does
not tell. An entry in the journal of Rev. Mr. Pugh, of
Welsh Neck, dated April 17, says: "Bad news of the
Tories at Cashway." The writer remembers an evening's
conversation under his mother's roof, between Col. Ben
Rogers and Uncle Nathan Thomas, in which the affair
was talked over. One of the old men had been a partici-
pant in the fray, and amused the party as he told how the
Tories "took to the swamp."

After the war ended portions of the old "meeting
house" were moved to "Brown's Mill" and entered into a
like building erected there.

The writer has heard numbers of the old people of the
community tell how they had seen, the "bullet holes in the
doors and shutters as long as the house stood."

It gave way to a better building about the beginning of
the present century.

Near this old church site there lived a number of staunch
Whigs. Capt. Moses Pearson, the Coxes, Burketts, and
others who often made it hot for the Tories on Muddy
creek. About this time a party of Tories came over from
North Carolina into what was then called "Piney Grove
settlement," now Adamsville, and caught a young boy
named William Adams and demanded of him information
as to the locality of certain treasure and persons. Adams
knew but determined that it would be a wrong to the
cause of the country and the safety of his friends to tell
what the foe desired to know. They tried to frighten
him with threats of hanging, but he would not be fright-
ened. Finally a cord was procured, but still Adams was
firm. Around his neck they tied it, but no disclosure
would he make. The cord was thrown over a limb,
and he was drawn up and choked and let down and ordered
again to speak. Still not a word of information could

112 History of Marlboro County,

they extort from his lips. The second time his feet were
drawn from the earth. Again they let him down and told
him this was his last chance for life. Speak the word
and life was his; refuse, and hang till dead.

Firmly he stood. To die was better than to live under
a burden of shame. Once more the cruel gang drew him
up, tied the cord, and went off and left him hanging.
Fortunately for him and for Marlboro, too, his mother
came along in time to let him down before life was ex-
tinct, and he lived to raise a large family of excellent
people, and to-day a host of young and old people are
proud to have descended from him.

On the eighth day of September of that year was fought
the battle of Eutaw Springs, and a portion of the Pee Dee
militia was engaged. Capt. Claudius Pegues, of Marlboro,
with his company, was on the ground. Joshua David, the
ancestor of the family among us, was permanently disabled
by a wound in the hand, and Capt. Pegues was shot in the
leg. Here it was that Thomas Quick, an humble private in
the ranks, seeing his officer's failing strength, though he
still stood in the line, seized him as he was falling, bore him
off, and with the aid of Nero, the Captain's servant, took
him to a place of security and then begged to go back and
get another shot at the red-coats who had shot so good a
man as his Captain. Never will the Pegues forget the
Quicks, and never ought they.

On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered at York-
town, Virginia. Charleston was slill held, but Governor
Rutledge, feeling that the time had come for the more
formal establishment of civil government in South Caro-
lina, issued a call for the election ot members for Senate
and House of Representatives. Since the capital of the
State was yet under British power, the meeting was held at
Jacksonborough, Colleton county. Tristram Thomas,
Philip Pledger, William Dewitt and William Pegues were
elected from Cheraw and took their seats in January, 1782.

History of Marlboro County. 1 1 3

But peace was not yet. It was not until July of that year
that the British Parliament passed a bill to enable the
King to consent to the independence of the colonies, and
not until November, 1782, were the articles signed by the
commissioners.

In the meantime many irregularities and lawless deeds
Were committed doubtless by both Whigs and Tories.
Hard it was for the former to forget the insults offered
their families and the injury done their property by their
Tory neighbors. Hard for a Tory to feel safe in his house
in the immediate vicinity of men he had wronged. Hard
for men to settle to pursuits of peace and meet each other
as friends who for a long time had been enemies in war.
It was long after their officers had dismissed them to their
homes, and charged them to bury past emnities and go
home to forgive and forget. Long after the Legislature
had proclaimed amnesty to such as would come in and
swear* allegiance, and enjoined the observance of civil
order, that Whig and Tory watched and feared each other
with many heart-burnings and jealousies. Many a poor
fellow was whipped or shot and some hung without judge
or jury long after the last "red-coat" had gone, and no
doubt but that many a cow, hog or horse was stolen in
revenge for deeds of war.

The American cause had triumphed, but loyalty died
hard. Not until George III. said: **I was the last man in
the Kingdom to consent to American independence, but
now that it is granted I shall be the last man in the world
to sanction any violation of it," could all men recognize it
as an accomplished fact.

CHAPTER XVI.

Bishop Gregg.

As has been already intimated, the writer has made
free use of the work of the late Bishop Gregg, of Texas,
sometimes giving his authority and at other times giving
/facts contained in the Bishop's "History of the Old
Cheraws," in his own language. No one at this day can
hope to tell the story of the early settlers on the Pee Dee
without drawing largely from this source. Kindly and
generously Bishop Gregg has expressed his gratification
in several communications to the author that his book
lias been of service in this "labor of love." Although he
was never a citizen of Marlboro, yet in his early life and
•vigorous manhood Bishop Gregg was a near and much-
loved neighbor; and, by his marriage with one of Marl-
Jboro's fairest daughters, became almost a citizen and is
justly entitled to a more extended notice than can be
accorded to many a worthy son of the soil. His great-
-grandfather, John Gregg, of Scottish origin, came to the
Pee Dee in 1752, and was the father of a large family. A
'brother, Joseph, settled lower down the river, and from
liim came the large family in Marion and Florence coun-
ties. From James, the first son of John, came a goodly
:^roup; among them, David, the father of Alexander, the
Jate Bishop of Texas, whose mother was Athalinda
iBrocky. "Alexander was born at Society Hill, Darling-
ton county. South Carolina, October 8, 1819. From an
«early age he was a pupil in the St. David's Academy, of
famous memory. At fifteen he went to Mt. Zion College
-at Winnsboro, so celebrated for years, under the charge of
"Wilson Hudson, Esq. In the latter part of November,
in the year 1835, ^^ matriculated at the South Carolina

History of Marlboro County. 1 1 5

Colleg^e, entering the Junior class. At the reorganization
of the college in January, 1836, under Hon. R. W. Barn-
well as president, and embracing a curriculum with a
more extended and thorough course of study, the young
student being only sixteen, he was induced to enter the
Sophomore class in order to have the advantages of a
three years' course. He graduated in December, 1838,
taking the first honor in a class of forty. Naturally drawn
to the law, he applied himself to its study and entered the
office of Robbins & Mclver in the fall of 1839 with the
late Chancellor Inglis as a fellow student. In December,
1840, they were both admitted to the bar. Returning to
Cheraw, he formed a partnership with Gen. Blakeny for
two years and after that was alone for a year." On the
2ist of April, 1841, he was married to Miss Charlotte Wil-
son KoUock, of Marlboro, a lady who had enjoyed the
advantages of the highest culture and was possessed of
unusual attractions of mind and character. This noble
helpmeet cheerfully left her charming home in Carolina,
and accompanied her husband to the wilds of Texas where
duty seemed to call him. After blessing his life for nearly
forty years with her presence and moulding influence, she
went to her reward May 20, 1880; but not till her heart
had been pained and chastened by the death of a precious
son.

The career of Mr. Gregg as a lawyer was unexpectedly
terminated in the spring of 1844, when he felt called of
God to another and higher course of life; the result of
deep and serious religious convictions of earlier years.
Now he was moved to abandon all else, and joyously
gave himself to the ministry. Received into the Epis-
copal church by the late Bishop Gadsden, he at once
became a candidate for holy orders. The influence of the
ministrations of Bishop Elliott, who was chaplain of the
college during his student life, doubtless contributed to
this result. In June, 1846, he was ordained deacon in St.

ii6 History of Marlboro Comity,

David's Church, at Cheraw, by Bishop Gadsden, and in
January following, he was ordained to the priesthood,
and became the rector of St. David's, in which office he
continued thirteen years, not only beloved by his own
church, but honored and admired by Christians of every
name.

In May, 1859, he was elected by the convention of that
diocese Bishop of Texas, and, under the circumstances,
felt it his duty to accept the call as the work of his life,
although sundering many tender relations. His diocese
then, and till 1874, embraced the entire State, which now
for the first time had a bishop of its own. In October.
1859, he was consecrated to his office in Richmond, Va.,
where the general convention of his church was then in
session, and as soon as practicable, removed his family to
Austin, which was to be their future home. In 1857,
while yet a clergyman in South Carolina, Mr. Gregg was
elected a trustee of the University of the South, located
at Sewanee, Tenn. As Bishop of Texas, he was continued
a trustee, and after the death of Bishop Green, of Missis-
sippi, the Chancellor of the University, Bishop Gregg was
elected to that office in 1887. The published writings of
the Bishop consists of sermons. Episcopal charges, and
the History of the Old Cheraws, which appeared in 1867.
The circumstances which led to the work are given in the
introduction. Every available source of information, it
is believed, was examined, and, happily, much valuable
matter preserved, thus escaping the ravages and losses
which would inevitably have followed during the war
between the States. This notice of Bishop Gregg is long,
but every word is due. No man has done so much — none
can do more to preserve the traditions and history of this
portion of the State. Bishop Gregg has died since this
chapter was prepared. He died at Sewanee, Tenn., a few
years ago.

CHAPTER XVII.

A Chapter of Traditions and Recollections of
Mr. Alfred Parish.

Mr. Parish* is one upon whose head rests the frosts of
four-score winters, and yet he is a man of remarkable
vigor, both of body and mind, a man too, who for this
long period has maintained amongst his neighbors the
standing of one of solid worth. No man can call his
word into question or impeach his honesty, he being a
lover of good order, and scorning everything tricky or
mean.

He has been three times married, and is the father of
thirteen children, ten of whom are living. His first wife
was the daughter of William Spears, who was the mother
of John, Joel and Henry Parish, noted for their successful
farming in the Clio and Red Bluff regions. His second
wife was Miss Mary McDaniel, and his third wife was Ellen,
a daughter of Daniel Parkham. His parents, Noel Parish
and Willie Lawrence, came to Marlboro from Gran-
ville county, N. C, in the early part of the present cen-
tury, and lived first at what is now known as the Ervin
place, two miles from Bennettsville. This ancient cou-
ple had five daughters who became mothers to several
Marlboro families. One of them, Nancy, married Conner
Cottingham, from whom sprang Andrew, Elkana and
David. Mary married William Bolton, a kinsman of
Capt. Frank Bolton, who has so efficiently filled the
office of County Treasurer and County Commissioner,
and was a gallant soldier in the late war, where he lost
an arm. Lucy Parish married Mr. Bristow, the father of
the well-known family of that name, which has given to

♦Since died.

1 1 8 History of Marlboro County,

Marlfxiro two Sheriffs and a clerk of long standing, and
which is still an extensive family' in the country-.

A daughter of Mr. Bristow married Mr. Webster, the
grandfather of William, Robert and George. Four
brothers of Mr. Parish, Milton, Willey, Caleb and David,
moved to Alabama many years ago. When Mr. Parish
rcmemfiers the country first, Toler McDaniel lived on the
road leading from Beauty Spot to Cheraw. Near him
was Mrs. Parham with four sons, Avery, James, Lemuel
and Wesley, and near the Beauty Spot Fork was Joseph
McDaniel. On Carter Branch was Col. W. G. Feagan,
and there his body rests. He was the son of the old
schoolmaster, Neddy Feagan, who is said to have taught
three generations of young ideas under the old regime of
"birch and brawn." There are a number of worthy peo-
ple in the county who are descended from this old school-
master, and many an old land-paper bears the lines made
by W. G. F^eagan, "District Surveyor,"

On the hill on the east side of the creek, on the road
from Bennettsville to Hebron, lived Jonathan Cotting-
ham, a brother to Conner, already mentioned, and the
father of a large family. In his house, and cared for by
him, was an old man, his father, Charles, whose body was
the first interred in the Cottingham graveyard on the
west side of the creek. The late Charles Cottingham,
the son of Jonathan, an honest man and good citizen, was
the father of most of those bearing the name in Marlboro.
James, the "old singing-master," and for many years
Major of the Lower Battalion of the 30th Regiment of
Militia, moved to North Carolina and was kille by Fed-
eral soldiers— a helpless old man, but has descendants in
Marlboro county.

When Mr. Parish first recollects the Hebron com-
munity, the old men William Bridges, William Coving-
ton, Nathan Thomas and Jonathan Meekins, were living
in quiet contentment upon their little farms — with abun-

History of Marlboro County, 1 19

dant pasturage in the forest and meadows, fish in the
streams and ponds, deer and wild turkeys in the woods.
Now, immense fields of cotton and grain occupy the at-
tention, and reward the industry of a dense population
of thrifty people. Mr. Parish thinks that the Conners came
from Maryland. He remembers a widow Conner who
had a daugher, Nancy, that married William Spears, father
of Lewis and Harris. After Conner's death the widow
married John Breeden, who had a son, Lindsay, by a
former marriage, and who was the father of our fellow
citizens; Wm. K., James B., Peter L., Joseph L., Thomas,
Andrew, and John L., deceased. After the marriage of
the widow Conner and the widower Breeden, a son, the
late Major Aaron Breeden, was born. Few families have
attained to more prominence and thrift in business cir-
cles than this one, the progenitor of which is remembered
by Mr. Parish as he lived in Adamsville. Nor has he for-
gotten how, in his boyhood days, he beheld and tasted
the sweet cider as it flowed from the press of old Mr.
Breeden, an attraction to the boys of the neighborhood.
Upon one of the tributaries of "Three Creeks" in the
Beauty Spot section was Fuller's old mill, gone to decay
before Mr. Parish's time. But he remembered Henry,
the husband of "Aunt Betsy," the maker of the historic
"Fuller Cakes," which every old man can remember in
his boyhood, as sold from her "cart "on the courtyard
and muster-field. Nor has Marlboro ever seen any " gin-
ger cake" since, that has equaled "Aunt Betsy's," has
been the verdict of the people for years.

Near the old mill lived Shadrach Fuller, from whom
Mrs. Crawford Easterling is descended! A sister married
John H. David, the father of Dr. W. J. David, and an-
other sister married James Stubbs, from whom D. C.
Odom sprang. The mother of Shadrach and his sisters
was an aunt of Mr. Parish. She was Miss Lucy Parish
before she married.

120 History of Marlboro County,

The McDaniel family seems to have been a numerous
one, and to have intermarried with some of their neigh-
bors already mentioned. We find them in different places,
about a hundred years ago. In Beauty Spot were Thomas,
Joseph, and Mrs. James Cook, mother of the Bennettsville
family, from whom descended Mrs. Rachel Thomas and
John B. In Hebron was George, with several sons, Wil-
iam, Fred, and Thomas McDaniel. Some of the Brights-
ville Stubbs claim a maternal descent from this name.
Mr. Parish is connected with one, if not two branches
of the family, and if all have sprung from the same origi-
nal stock, it must have been one of the first upon the
ground. •

There was one tradition our friend was not averse to
telling. That two of his father's brothers were soldiers
in the patriot army while the family had their home in
North Carolina. Who shall blame him if he is "proud
of that fact ? "

One other name was remembered by Mr. Parish as con-
tributing a full share toward the peopling and civilization
of the country, Mr. John Murdock, living near the
Beauty Spot church. He had several sons, John, Andrew,
James, David and Alexander. Several wereprominent men,
but the name is now extinct. A number of good people
amongst us descended from the noble old Scotchman who
sought to train his children for honor and piety. The old
homeisyet occupied by his descendants, children of Capt.
Mclntyre.

CHAPTER XVIII.
After the Revolution.

With the close of the protracted and arduous struggle
through which the country had passed, and the return of
peace ; came many responsibilities. The material devel-
opment of the State, the establishment of schools, the
payment of debts, the creation of a currency, and the
enforcement of order and law, everything in short, essen-
tial to the prosperity of a new government, demanded
attention. The halls of justice long closed were to be
reopened ; a nation just born was to take its initial steps
in self-government, and not license, and lawlessness. The
State Legislature was called to meet in January, 1783.
Major Tristram Thomas was elected Senator for Cheraw
District, and Lemuel Benton, Thomas Powe, William
Pegues, William Strother, William DeWitt, and Claudius
Pegues, members of the House of Representatives. At
that session Claudius Pegues was elected Ordinary for
the District, and William DeWitt, Sheriff. Both of these
offices at that time were especially important. Many
deaths had occurred, many estates were unsettled, and
there was great need for prudence and skill in the men
who were called to these responsible positions, and it was
greatly to the credit of these gentlemen to be counted
worthy to fill those places, and that they were not found
wanting.

The first general court after peace was declared was
held at Long Bluff in November, Judge Grimke pre-
siding. The Judge had but lately received his commis-
sion. He was a student in England when the war broke
out, but hurried to his native shore and threw him-
self into the struggle upon the side of liberty. He sat

122 History of Marlboro County.

upon the bench and saw before him in the courtroom and
the **jury box" the forms of men, who, like himself, had
passed through the hardships and dangers of the field
while their property was exposed to the depredations of
the Tories, and could yet rise above emotions of resent-
ment and hatred. He counseled his countrymen no longer
to brand their people with this appellation, but to seek
for things that make for peace. For thirty-six years he
lived to enforce and expound justice and law. Judging
from the anecdotes that Judge O'Neal records of him in
his "Bench and Bar," we should say of him, **A terror to
evil-doers," and a "Spur to plodding lawyers."

In the Edgefield court, 1815, the sessions docket was
exceedingly heavy. The "solicitor, Mr. Starke, presented
forty bills of indictment for every grade of offense from
assault and battery to murder. Thirty-nine were found
"true bills." Many convictions followed. One of the Edge-
field rowdies of the day, looking on at the arraignment and
conviction of so many, swore it 'was no place for him to
be,' for said he, 'Starke holds and Grimke skins.' " No
doubt the wise words of this Judge, addressed to a Grand
Jury composed of such men as George Hicks, Morgan
Brown, Moses Pearson, Philip Pledger, Thomas Ellerbe,
and others of like spirit, had much effect in restoring
peace and order; in encouraging the people in self-reliance,
industry and respect of law. It also encouraged the im-
provement of public highways and river navigation. It
was at this term of court that the Grand Jury recom-
mended the opening of a road from Long Bluff to Barnes s
bridge, or Gum Swamp, where it was to meet another
from Cross Creek, now Fayettville, in North Carolina, the
road upon which Bennettsville is located

It was during the session of 1785 that an Act passed the
Legislature, establishing inferior courts of justice, like
the County Courts of some neighboring States. By this
Act the District of Cheraw was divided into three Coun-

History of Marlboro County, 1 25

ties, Darlington, Chesterfield, and Marlboro, the latter
embracing the territory on the eastern side of the Great
Pee Dee, and which is included in the County of to-day.
By this Act justices were to be appointed, with power to
build court-houses, lay taxes for this purpose, hold
quarterly sessions, have jurisdiction in causes at "commoD
law," when the debt was "liquidated by bond, or note of
hand, or where the damages did not exceed fifty pounds/"
and in minor criminal cases, with the right of appeal to
the higher courts. The first Board of Justices appointed
for Marlboro consisted of the following : Claudius
Pegues, George Hicks, Morgan Brown, Tristram Thomas^
Claudius Pegues, Jr., Moses Pearson and Thomas Evans.
The position was one of trust, demanding wisdom and in-
tegrity. As "gold is purified in the fire," the ordeal through
which these men had passed had proven their character
before their fellow citizens. They seemed to have organ-
ized at once, and tradition has it that they met for a time
at Gardner's Bluff, or near there, but the permanent loca-
tion selected was nearer to Crooked Creek, near by what
is now Evans' Mill. Gen. Thomas's conveyance of the
ground to the above-named Commissioners is upon
record. The building erected was of wood, two stories
high — capacious and substantial, but the locality proved
unhealthy. The court-house was found to be inconven-
iently located, and in 1819 steps were taken to change the
seat of justice to a more central and healthy spot. So, in
1824, a new court-house was finished at Bennnettsville^
the present site.

It is not to be understood that the Circuit courts were
abandoned when the County courts were established.
The court for Cheraw District of the Northern Circuit
seems yet to have been regularly held, but this dual sys-
tem does not appear to have been satisfactory, and a
change in the system was thought to be necessary. So
that, at the session of Legislature, 1799, a bill was passed for

124 History of Marlboro Coutity.

"instituting^ District courts in the several Counties of the
State." The Counties were, therefore, called Districts
until 1868, when the Convention of reconstruction restored
tl^e old title.

Let us turn back to the natal day in 1785 when the
three divisions formed in Cheraw District had to be named.
One of them, Darlington, took the name of a gallant col-
onel who distinguished himself in the War of Independ-
ence. Chesterfield honored the old English Earl whose
name has long been the synonym of dignity and grace.
Our own division went across the water also in search of
a name, and fixed on England's grand old soldier, who
never knew defeat in the battles of a lifd-time, and honored
the Duke of Marlborough by taking his heroic name. Be-
fore passing entirely from the County court period of our
history, it may be well to mention other men who sat
upon the bench of justices. In March, 1786, we find Wil-
liam Thomas, Thomas Lide, and William Easterling. The
latter is recognized as the ancestor of the Adamsville
branch of the family bearing that name. He was after-
wards made Ordinary and served until his death in honor-
able old age.

Mr. Lide ("Colonel," he was called) is said to have
been a man of high character, the grandfather of Governor
John Lide Wilson, and the father of five sons; John,
Thomas, Charles M., Robert and James; also a daughter
who first became Mrs. Twitty and afterwards Mrs. Burn.
Charles Motte Lide, one of the sons, was considered one
of the most remarkable men of his day. Educated, intel-
lectual, a gifted orator, few men could so sway the emo-
tions of an audience; but strangely erratic, and of feeble
health and irregular habits, he sank into an early grave.
The Colonel and Justice was a pious man, a prominent
Baptist, and died greatly lamented, soon after his ap-
pointment to a justiceship in Marlboro. In 1787 William
Thomas came from Maryland and settled a few miles

History of Marlboro County, 125

above Cheraw, on the east side of the river, married a
Miss Little, who had some property, to which he largely
added. One son, William L., was given to this pair. He
married a Miss Benton, who had two sons, Alexander,
who died unmarried, and William L., who married Jane
McQueen, and died childless. His widow afterwards be-
came the wife of Col. John Campbell, the Congressman,
and passed calmly away within the last few months.
Thus it is seen that this branch of the Thomas family is
extinct.

In 1789 Drury Robertson was made a justice. It is said
that this gentleman came to Marlboro after the war. If
so he must have been a man of marked influence, for he
became prominent in the affairs of the country at once,
having been elected to the Legislature the year before he
was made a Justice. There is a tradition that he had a
command in the revolutionary army, and this may have
helped him to positions where there were so many worthy
competitors.

Major Robertson made property, and secured a splendid
body of land upon both sides of Naked Creek, and built
a mill or two upon that stream. He was the maternal
grandfather of that noble son of Marlboro, Col. William
T. Ellerbe. Samuel Brown, a member of the Brownsville
family, and George Cherry, another citizen of Lower
Marlboro, and Benjamin Hicks, also were members of this
County Court Commission, before it was finally abolished
in 1799. It is proper in this connection to place upon
record the names of the men who were elected from
Marlboro, to the State Legislature, bearing in mind that
until 1790 they were chosen to represent Cheraw District,
or St. David's Parish, rather than the separate counties.
In 1786 William Thomas was elected Senator, and Calvin
Spencer, Robert Baxter, Morgan Brown, Andrew Hunter,
Lemuel Benton, and William Strother, Representatives
Most of the latter resided on the western side of the river,

126 History of Marlboro County,

which was altogether fair, since the eastern side had the
Senator. In 1788 the same members appear. On May
1 2th, of that year, a convention assembled for the ratifica-
tion of the Federal Constitution. The delegates from the
Cheraw District were Lemuel Benton, Tristram Thomas,
William DeWitt, Calvin Spencer, S. Taylor, R. Brownfield,
and Benj. Hicks. This delegation voted for the ratifica-
tion. In November of that year Morgan Brown was
elected Senator, and Robert Ellison, Charles Evans,
Thomas Evans, Robert Brownfield, Drury Robertson, and
Henry Cannon, Representatives. It was the Legislature
of which these were members that issued a call for a
State Constitutional Convention, which met in Columbia
in May, 1790. For St. David's Parish the following dele-
gates were sent : Calvin Spencer, Benj. Hicks, Lem
Benton, Robert Ellison, Charles Evans, Morgan Brown and
Rev. Evan Pugh. This Convention adopted a Constitution
June 3d, which gave the three counties of Cheraw Dis-
trict, two Representatives each, and two Senators for the
three. At the next election Morgan Brown and Robert
Allison were chosen Senators, and Thomas Evans, and
John Jones James were Representatives from Marlboro.
In 1792, Robert Allison, whose term of service had ex-
pired, was re-elected Senator, and John J.James and Benj.
Hicks Representatives from Marlboro. In 1794 Marlboro
elected as Representatives J. J. James and Drury Robert-
son, and in 1796, they were re-elected, with William and
Tristram Thomas as Senators. In 1798, William Whit-
field took the place of Mr. James, and John Mclver that
of General Thomas in the Senate. In 1800, Drury
Robertson was succeed by David Stewart in the House,
and Alex Mcintosh took the place of William Thomas.
The organization of the militia seems to have received
the attention of the Legislature at an early period. In
the returns of 1 787-1788 the Cheraw regiment, Col. Ben-
ton commanding, is put down at one thousand men, and

History of Marlboro County, 127

in 1789 a cavalry company was organized at Cheraw with
Samuel Taylor as captain, Holden Wade and Benny
Hicks, lieutenants, and forty privates. By 1794 the
militia of the State had so increased that the Cheraw regi-
ment had grown into a brigade of three regiments, the
Thirty-seventh or Marlboro, under Col. Thomas Evans.
Col. Benton, who, for long years, had been deservedly
popular, faithful and true upon the field of war, foremost
as a statesman, a leader in every enterprise looking to the
country's welfare, was now in Congress as the first repre-
sentative of the Pee Dee district. He naturally enough
aspired to, and expected to be made a brigadier. But
Maj. Thomas was also an idol with his people; faithful,
true and capable wherever the voice of his country, or
duty to his Saviour called him, and he it was whom his
countrymen preferred as the commander of the brigade.
The sensibilities ot the soldier were touched when one
that had fought at his side, and since served as a subordi-
nate, should be promoted above him. Benton promptly
resigned his commission as Colonel of the Cheraw regi-
ment, and Capt. Spencer was elected in his place. In
1800 the Cheraw brigade numbered 2,224 men, and the
total population of the district is set down at 18,015, an
increase of nearly 8,000 since 1792, when the total was
10,706. Of this latter number 3,288 were colored, and in
1800 the slaves were 4,877. For Marlboro, in 1800, the white
population was 3,880, and the colored 1,393, nearly three
to one in favor of the whites. Now, we are largely out-
numbered by the sable faces. Has it been that the white
people have emigrated and left their servants behind? or
has it been that the natural increase of the colored race
has so largely exceeded the white?

CHAPTER XIX.
Prominent Men After the Revolution.

So far as this writer now remembers, in all her history
Marlboro has furnished the State but two governors. One
of these has already been named in these pages; Dr. B.
K. Henagan, who filled out the unexpired term of Gov.
Noble, who died in office. The other was John Lide
Wilson. This man was born in Marlboro, a few miles
from Cheraw, in 1784. After his school days were over
he was admitted to the bar in 1807 and settled down to
his practice in Georgetown. In the next year he was
elected a member of the House of Representatives, and
subsequently filled a seat in the State Senate. In 1822
he was made president of the Senate, and, before the ses-
sion was ended, was elected governor. Judge O'Neal, in
his "Bench and Bar,'* gives an estimate of his character,
and says: "His intellect was a fine one; his speeches,
political and legal, were always compiled with wonderful
arrangement and care, and his voice and manner were
fine and graceful. If he had cultivated the great talents
with which God had endowed him, he must have been
among the greatest men of South Carolina." He died in
Charleston in 1849 ^^^ was buried there with military
honors. • *

It is fit that mention be made of James R. Ervin, a
young man when he came to Marlboro as a lawyer in 1809,
having been born in Marion county in 1788. He soon
rose to popular favor, and was soon elected a member of
the House of Representatives, a position he held until he
moved to Marion. But upon his return to Marlboro he
was elected to the Senate. Subsequently he went to
Cheraw, and the Chesterfield people made him their

History of Marlboro County, 1 29

Senator. Few men have lived in Marlboro of a more
handsome and commanding physique — tall, well propor-
tioned, a countenance beaming with intelligence and
humor, with captivating, easy manners and charming con-
versational powers, he was the center and life of every
circle. As an orator, cool, fearless, ready and forcible, he
seemed born to lead; and had he not relied too much upon
his natural gifts, but given himself more to application,
he might have climbed to any height in public favor and
position. Among the grand men of a past generation,
who swayed popular gatherings in the stirring times of
nullification in the Pee Dee section, the writer can remem-
ber none, who in his boyhood's fancy, towered above Col.
Ervin. He had a son, Major E. P. Ervin, who settled at
Bennettsville as a lawyer, went to the Legislature, was
commissioner in equity, married a daughter of Mr. John
McCollum and left a family of several sons and daughters.
Soon after the Revolutionary War was ended Robert
Campbell came to the Pee Dee and settled near Hunt's
Bluff in Marlboro. He had been a British officer, had
large wealth, married Miss Blair and soon became a
money-making, prosperous planter. He was careful in
the education and culture of his children, Robert B.,
James, John and Maria. The daughter, Maria, married
David G. Coit, and was the mother of Major J. C. Coit,
of Cheraw, and others. Her second husband was Major
James McQueen. It is said that when the War of 1812
came on between Great Britain and the United States,
the elder Capt. Campbell earnestly urged his first born,
Robt. B., to accept a commission in the British army
which he offered to procure for him. But the son indig-
nantly refused what to him appeared a traitorous tempta-
tion. Young Campbell was gifted, of courteous, courtly
manners, splendid form and features, and soon rose into
prominence. He married into the Lee family, of Virgi-
nia, and was elected a member of Congress. Subse-

130 History of Marlboro County,

quently he sold his splendid plantation (what is now
Drake's Mill and Lowden plantation), and went to Ala-
bama, and filled a mission to Havana, and afterwards to
England.

• Col. John Campbell, after his literary course, studied
law, it is thought at Litchfield, Conn., was admitted to
the bar in 1822, but seems not to have practiced long, if
at all. He married Mrs. Jane Thomas, the widow of W.
L. Thomas. She was Miss McQueen before marriage, a
most amiable, excellent woman, who died at a great age
only a few years ago. Col. Campbell was first elected to
the Twenty-first Congress, which met in 1829. In 1837 he
appeared again as a member of the Twenty-fifth and was
three times elected after this. He died universally lament-
ed soon after his last election. He was a man of great pol-
ish, graceful manner, amiable spirit, refined, modest and
yet fearless; one of the most fascinating, fluent speakers
of his day, capable of charming all circles in society, the
favorite alike of all classes of his people. The Messrs.
Campbell, of Blenheim, and James P., of Bennettsville, are
descended from the first Robert, but not by the first mar-
riage.

Soon after the war for independence there came to the
lower part of Marlboro a man, who, if not distinguished
for great intellectual force, was yet notable on several
accounts. Baron De Poelnitz. It was claimed that the
same lofty spirit that impelled his more distinguished
•countrymen, Kosciusko and Pulaski, to come from Poland
here, moved Poelnitz. He purchased a large body of
land on the river, below Three Creeks, and, bringing his
effects up the Pee Dee from Georgetown by boat, built a
store-house, and thought to establish a town, and to this
•day the place is called ''Ragtown." Tradition has it that
he brought numerous seeds from the old world to sow in
the virgin soil of the new; and among the rest the intro-
duction of "nut grass" is charged to his account. It used

History of Marlboro County, 131

to be told that when the old man came to die, he charged
his friends that when they thought him dead they must,
before burying him, apply heated irons to his feet, and see
sure signs of decay; then place his body in a strong double
case, bury it upon a certain sand-ridge in "Ragtown,"and
"plant an oak at his head, that the dust of his body enter-
ing into the growing tree might not be found at the gen-
eral resurrection." The writer remembers a tree pointed
out as the majestic sentinel, keeping watch and guard
over the dust of the Baron. Whatever the singularities
of this old Baron (and, perhaps, the only one Marlboro
has ever had to live and die upon her soil), he seems to
have accumulated property, and reared a cultured family.
A son, Julius, as remembered, married a daughter of Col.
Rogers, and when their children were nearly all grown,
went with them to Alabama. A bachelor brother to
Julius, odd, simple-minded old man, whom the young
people used to love to tease, clung to Julius as the vine
to its prop. The name is no longer known in the county.
A daughter of the Baron, a beautiful accomplished
woman, first married a Mr. Stewart, and after his death
became the wife of Robeson Carloss. Mr. Carloss was a
prominent useful man in his day, who came from Vir-
ginia; lived and raised a family in the Brownsville com-
munity; was long known as a justice of the peace. The
name is extinct on the Pee Dee.

CHAPTER XX.
Members of the Legislature and Other Officers.

The journals of the State Senate and also of the House
of Representatives have been carefully searched, with the
desire to obtain a correct list of the men who have repre-
sented Marlboro in the Legislature from the Revolution-
ary War to the year 1890 ; and it is thought that the fol-
lowing meets the requirement. It is to be remembered
that before, and for some years after the formation of the
three counties, Chesterfield, Darlington and Marlboro,
out of the territory comprising the "Old Cheraw District,'*
the members were elected as from the old district, or "St.
David's Parish," and even after the Representatives be-
gan to be chosen from the counties separately, for a
number of years, till about 1805, the three counties (or
districts as they were called) continued to be a single
senatorial district. Therefore, it will be observed that in
a few instances, men residing outside of Marlboro are
put down as representing it in the Senate ; but as at
almost every election one or more Marlboro men were
returned along with others from the other counties to the
House, only such as appeared from Marlboro are en-
rolled in the list of the lower House :

Tristram Thomas. 1802-03

William DeWitt. 1804-05

William Thomas. 1806-09

Morgan Brown. 1 810-13

Morgan Brown. 1814-17

Robert Ellison. 1818-21

f Thomas Powe, 1822-25

Tristram Thomas. 1826-29

I7Q6-07 i Willie™ Thomas, 1830-33

790-97 -j Tristram Thomas. 1834-37

1798-99 ri^^^TS??^"""^'' ^838-41

'^ ^^ \ John Mclver. 1842-45

^Q^ i Alexander Mcintosh, 1846-49

1000-01 •{ T I- ■»«■ T O

\ John Mclver. 1850-57

1783
1784-85
1786-87
1788-89
1790-91
1792-93

1794-95

Thomas Powe,
Benjamin Rogers.
Hugh Lide.
William Whitfield.
Thomas Evans.
Robeson Carloss.
Robert B. Campbell.
James R. Ervin.
Robert B. Campbell.
Barnabas K. Henagan.
Daniel C. Murdock.
James E. David.
William T. Ellerbe.
C. W. Dudley.

History of Marlboro County.

133

1858-61 Charles Irby.

1862-65 Wm. D. Johnson.

1865-67 T. C. Weatherly.

1868-76 H. J. Maxwell.

1876-89 C. S. McCall.
1890-94 W. D. Evans.
1894- H. M. Stackhouse.

REPRESENTATIVES.

1783
1784-87

1788-89 ■

I790-9I-J
1792-93 I
1794-95 ]
1796-97 I
1798-99 I

1800-01 -j
1802-03
1804-05 ]
I §06-07
1808-09 ]

1810-11 \

1812-13 I

1814-15

1816-17]

1818-19
1820-23

1824-25 I
1826-27 \
1828-29 -j
1830-31 I

1832-33 ]

1834-35
1836-37
1838-39

1840-41 \

Claudius Pegues.
Morgan Brown.
Drury Robertson,
Robert Allison.
Thomas Evans.
John J. Jones.
John J. Jones,
Benjamin Hicks.
J. J. Jones,
Drury Robertson.
Drury Robertson,
J. J. Jones.
William Whitfield,
D. Robertson.
David Stuart,
Tristram Thomas.
William Easterling.
William Whitfield,
Robert Allison.
Tristram Thomas.
Thomas Evans,
John Rogers.
James R. Ervin,
Tristram Thomas.
T. Thomas,
Josiah J. Evans.
William Whitfield.
J. A. Evans,
Geo. R. Whitfield.
James Gillespie.
James Gillespie,
G. R. Whitfield,
T. J. Williams.
Thos. J. Williams,
Chas. Lide.
John Murdock,
John M. Rogers.
C. J. Lide,
John Murdock.
John Murdock,
Chas. J. Lide.
Wm. T. Ellerbe.
C. W. Dudley.
James E. David.
C. W. Dudley,
W. T. Ellerbe.

1842-43
1844-45
1846-47
1848-49
1850-51
1852-53
1854-56
1856-57
1858-59
1860-61

1862-63

1864-65
1866-67

1868-69
1870-71
1872-73

1874-75
1876-77
1878-79
1880-81
1882-83
1884-85
1886-87
1888-89

W. J. Cook,
E. P. Ervin.

E. P. Ervin.
W. T. Ellerbe.

J. W. Harrington,

B. B. Rogers.

J. W. Harrington,-
W. J. Cook.
T. C. Weatherly,
Chas. A. Thornwell,
Chas. A. Thornwell,
T. C. Weatherly.

C. A. Thornwell,
Chas. Irby.

A. G. Johnson,
P. B. McLaurin.
C. P. Townsend,
J. H. Hudson.
W. J. Cook,
J. W. Henagan,

C. P. Townsend,
T. C. Weatherly.
S. J. Townsend,
Harris Covington.
James Jones,

J. G. Grant.
T. P. Stubbs,

D. P. McLaurin.
J. W. Thomas,
Sam'l Jackson.
Jacob Allman,
T. C. Weatherly,
P. M. Hamer,
T. N. Edens.

1*. M. Hamer,
T. N. Edens.
H. H. Newton,
J. R. Parker,
J. B. McLaurin,
Knox Livingston.
Simeon Gibson,

F. W. Kinney.
J no. N. Drake,
W. D. Evans.
T. N. Edens,
W. D. Evans.

134 History of Marlboro County.

o j H. M. Stackhouse, i C. P. Townsend,

1090-92 ^ j^^ ^ McLaurin. 1894-96-^ J. P. Bunch,

( H. M. Stackhouse, ( J. F. McLaurin,

1892-94 -j Jas. T. Covington, ( J. F. McLaurin,

( Dan C. Ro'per, 1896- X Knox Livingston, .

( T. I. Rogers.

It is interesting to observe that of these seventy men
whom the people have honored with their suffrages, ten
have rendered service in both branches of the Legislature.
One of them, B; K. Henagan, practiced medicine. Mr.
McCall has been a successful merchant, having at the
same time an extensive farming interest, which was also
true of Dr. Henagan. Fifteen of the seventy were law-
yers, three of whom were elevated to the bench. Several
of them devoted much attention to their farms. But tak-
ing these from the list there are left fifty-two farmers; a
little more than three- fourths of the whole; and some of
those who served longest were of this class. One of them
was six times elected; another five times. Four were four
times, and four others three times; while only one law-
yer has been able to carry his election the fourth time, and
two others reached a third term. So that if Marlboro is
and has always been an agricultural county, so has it been
in all the years of its history a government of farmers, and
yet in most of the members of the bar that have represent-
ed her interests in the councils of the State, she has hon-
ored herself in honoring them. Time was, indeed, when
the voters of Marlboro scarce thought to inquire into the
profession or calling in life, of the man that sought their
suffrages. Is he worthy f Is he capable? No doubt mis-
takes were made, but it was not when a lawyer was in the
Senate that "poor Marlboro'* rang in the corridors of the
capitol. That people is in danger, that allows one class
to array itself against another. Just as in the world
of nature, we need variety, and can only have the
grandest perfection of beauty and utility; so in social, polit-
ical and industrial affairs we need various classes, industries

History of Marlboro County.

135

and callings to give strength, order and success to the
whole. As the old men of seventy years ago looked
upon the manly form of Gillespie or Robert B. Campbell,
and heard their stirring words, they may have felt, these
are the men to move senates, sway juries, and impress
judges; or, as they met the polite, modest youthful Evans,
or laughed over the anecdotes and pleasantries of Ervin,
they hardly thought or cared to remember that these were
young lawyers, destined to impress themselves upon their
country; or later on, when Ellerbe and David met upon
the stump, who cared whether he voted for the farmer or
the lawyer? Both commanded the respect of his friends
for what he was^ in himself, and few men cared as to his
calling, so he honored himself in its pursuit.

The following is thought to be a full and correct list of
the Sheriffs, Clerks and Ordinaries who have held office
in Marlboro»from the Revolution to date:

SHERIFFS OF MARLBORO.

CLERKS OF COURT.

Time

Service.

1 John Andrews 1785 i

2 James Moore 1786 2

3 William Pledger 1792 3

4 Thomas Evans 1804 4

5 Benjamin Rogers 1808 5

6 William Bristow 1812 6

7 Chas. S. Strother 1816 7

8 Joshua David 1820 8

9 Wm. Pouncy 1824 9

10 Geo. Bristow 1828 10

11 E. L. Henagan 1832 11

12 M. Townsend -....1838 12

13 Geo. Bristow 1842 13

14 T. C. Weatherly 1846 14

15 B. F. McGilvray 1850 15

16 Jno. W. Henagan 1854 16

17 B. F. McGilvray 1858 17

18 J. L. Breeden 1862 18

19 A. E. Bristow 1866

20 J. L. Easterling 1870 19

Time

Service.

John Wilson 1785

JoelWinfield 1787

William Fields 1788

Drury Robertson 1789

Joel Winfield 1790

Jno. Winfield 1804

John Thomas 1808

John A. Evans 1812

James Gillespie,/ro tern i8i6

Morgan J. Brown 1816

Wm. Bristow 1820

Wm. Pledger, pro tem.iS2^

Joshua David 1824

James C. Thomas 1828

Geo. Bristow 1832

Robt. D. Thomas 1838

Robt. D. Thomas 1842

Peter McCall 1846

Held office till his death 1871
T. W. Allen, 1871 to. . .1876

1 36 History of Marlboro County.

SHERIFFS OF MARLBORO. CLERKS OF COURT.

Time Time

of of'

Service. Service.

21 J. H. Jones 1874 20 C. M. Weatherly 1876

22 A. H. Knight 1875101876 to 1892

23 G.W.Waddill appointed. 1876 21 Jas. A. Drake, 1892 to. .1896

24 W. P. Emanuel 1876

Died 1879

25 B. A. Rogers appointed. 1879

25 B. A. Rogers elected 1880

to 1892

26 J. B. Green elected 1892 to 1896

Ordinaries of Marlboro.

Joel Winfield, clerk, served as ordinary till 1803.

William Easterling served from 1803 till his death, 1835.

Lewis E. Stubbs elected in 1835.

Joshua David elected in .

A. N. Bristow elected in , served till his death 1867.

In 1868 a new constitution was adopted and the office
of Ordinary was abolished, and the office of Probate
Judge instituted. Jeremiah Grant was elected first to the
office in 1868 and served till 1872.

J. Wesley Smith elected 1872, served till 1876.

Knox Livingston elected 1876, served till 1878.

C. T. Munnerlyn elected 1878, but did not qualify.

Milton McLaurin, appointed, served till 1880.

Milton McLaurin elected 1880, served till 1882.

Milton McLaurin elected 1882, resigned 1884.

W. E. Thomas appointed 1884.

W. E. Thomas elected in 1884, served till 1886.

T. L Rogers elected in 1886, served till 1888.

Milton McLaurin elected in 1888, still serving, 1896.

CHAPTER XXI.

Scottish Settlers. McColls and McLaurins.

After the battle of Culloden, which occurred in 1746,
many Scottish families emigrated to America. The two
Carolinas were fortunate in having some of these valuable
people to make their homes within their borders.

Among those ranked as rebels in that conflict several
came to the Pee Dee who were destined to distinction in
after time ; of those the Mclvers and Mclntoshs are
worthy of mention. It is likely also that about the same
time the McLeans, McLaurins, McRaes, McColls and
others who happened to be on the losing side, crossed the
waters, in search of liberty and peace ; and settled in the
country between the Cape Fear and Pee Dee. But the
ancestors of the names at the head of this chapter seem to
have come at a later date, soon after the Revolutionary War.
The writer is largely indebted to his old friend, Mr. John
L. McCall, for valuable information. Mr. McCoU,* now
seveaty-eight, is still vigorous and strong, in body and
mind, intelligent, thoughtful, accurate, and greatly inter-
ested in having the traditions of the old families pre-
served, has "himself been an active participant in the
affairs of the country. He was born in Marion, came to
Marlboro a boy of twelve, spent the prime of his life in
farming and mercantile pursuits, mostly at Clio, and in
its vicinity. He was elected Tax Collector for Marlboro
in 1862, and assisted Messrs. McRae and Weatherly in
the same service in earlier years. His wife was a daughter
of Mr. Archie Sinclair, who came from Islyjin Scotland,
and a highly respectable family of sons and daughters

* Since dead.

13^ History of Marlboro County,

honor the training of the excellent couple. Among them
are Mrs. H. H. Newton, T. D. and C. S. McCall of Ben-
nettsville.

When volunteers were called for to go to the Seminole
War in 1835, Mr. McCall was serving an apprenticeship in a
tailor's establishment, but at once enlisted in the company
of Capt. Elmore, of Columbia. He remembers how his
youthful mind was impressed with the wealth, liberality
and patriotism of the elder Wade Hampton, who offered
to furnish twenty horses if the company could be mounted
and go as cavalry. That brief service fully satisfied the
martial ambition of the young aspirant for fame, and made
him content to follow ever after the pursuits of peace.
May his last days be as calm as the setting sun, and all
that bear his name rise up to bless his memory.

John, the father of the above, came from Appin Scot-
land in 1 791, being then in his fourteenth year. With
him were several relatives, and they first found shelter
under the hospitable roof of a kinsman, David McCall,
who had come over earlier, and was living at what has
long been known as the Daniel Graham place, near the
North Carolina State line. John McCoU lived at what
was then called Mt. Washington, now Tatum. Subse-
quently did business at Marlboro Old Court House. He
married a Miss Curry, had but one son, besides our friend,
to grow to manhood, and he was killed by a horse.

An uncle named Daniel, died in this country. Hugh G.
McColl is also remembered as a native Scotchman, who
came over about the same time with the others, was re-
lated to them, and settled on Little Pee Dee and is repre-
sented in this country yet in the descendants of John C.
and Nancy McColl. The old people were fond of talking
of "Big Solomon," who married a daughter of " David the
first.'* Tradition represents him as a school teacher, a "man
of learning." He was the father of "Long Hugh," who
^'s remembered as a soldier of the War of 181 2, the father

History of Marlboro County. 139

of David, Solomon, John and Christian. This second
David is the father of D. D. McCoU of Bennettsville
'* Big Solomon" was also the father of Peter McColl, who
for twenty-five years was the Clerk of the Court for Marl-
boro and died in office in 1871. He also conducted before
'he war the first branch bank ever established in this
county, being part of the Bank of Cheraw. The neatness
of pensmanship of the Clerk's office during his occupancy
is a monument to his memory.

Another, Hugh, called ^'Steady Hugh," came about the
same time with the others, from whom is descended Mrs.
Effie McLaurin, mother of the excellent young men, John
F., Hugh L., Luther and W. B. McLaurin, sons of Capt.
L. L. McLaurin. D. D. McColl is also a grandson of this
"Steady Hugh," on his mother's side. Another Solomon,
called "Little Solomon," of about the same age as Big
Solomon, was the father of Hugh D., better known as a
deaf mute, who also has representatives in the county.
The old people will remember that John "Gurly " was a
brother to Hugh D., wha married a Miss Cameron, and
from whom was descended John, Hugh and Malcom Mc-
Coll, citizens of the Judson community. "Stumpy"
Duncan was the father of that excellent old man Lock B.
McCall, who, when near four-score years, was drowned in
Beaver Dam Creek, near his residence, while bathing.
He was honest, inoffensive and kind of heart. He, too,
was a soldier of the Seminole War, a private in the com-
pany of Capt. Williamson in Harllee's Battalion. A
brother of his named John has left descendants behind
him.

Major John McColl, a brother of "Stumpy" Duncan,

who commanded the Lower Battalion in the Marlboro

Regiment for a time, was a man of excellent character,

pleasing manners, and was the father of those worthy men

of the Judson neighborhood. Lock and Joseph McColl.

It is told of the Major that (like a good many other
10

140 History of MarUboro County,

militia officers in olden time) he did not enjoy an extensive
knowledge of "tactics," and that on one occasion, when
his battalion was on review, he gave a command which
either was awkwardly given or not understood, and the
left wing doubled upon itself in much confusion. The
Major was quite a short, small man, but was well mounted
upon a charger richly caparisoned. Seeing that the
left flank was in a tangle, he endeavored to put spurs
to his horse, but his heels only reached the lower part of
the saddle skirts, but by dint of coaxing and spurring he
galloped down the broken lines and cried out in his
broad Scotch, "What the dickens got you into sich a hick-
elty-pickelty ? Git ye straight again."

Mr. John A. McColl, exemplary man, splendid, useful
citizen, who only a few years ago sank into the grave, full
of years, and full of the praises and affections of his
countrymen, especially of Hebron and Clio, where he
lived so long and lived so well, is said to have sprung
from a branch of the family that settled upon Mountain
Creek, and his relationship to, the foregoing was not so
close. John A. McColl's grandparents, John and Marga-
ret McColl, and their children, came from Scotland to
America in 1775. They landed at Wilmington and settled
near Mountain Creek, in Richmond County, North Caro-
lina. His maternal grandparents, John and Mary Cameron,
and their children, came from Scotland to America in the
ship Mary Ann, and likewise settled at Mountain Creek,
North Carolina. Dougald McColl, his father, married
Jeannette Cameron and came to Marlboro about 1819.
John A. had two brothers, Daniel, who died in Louisiana,
on the Red River, an overseer, and Hugh, who was younger.
John A. was the father of nine children. Four pnly are
now alive, Wellington, Alex, Mrs. Lewis Spears and Miss
Nancy McColl.

But our friend from whom so much of this information
was obtained mentioned two other families of McColls

History of Marlboro Cou7ity. 141

of Marlboro, whom he claims as of the same stock with
those above named. One of. these, in the childhood of the
writer, lived in the Brownsville community, a venerable
Scotch lady, we all honored as "Granny McCoU." A maid-
en daughter. Miss Katy, and a son, James, lived with her,,
and close by lived another son, David R., who was the
father of that substantial and highly respected gentleman
now living a few miles below Society Hill, my old school-
mate, Mr. John S. McCoU. The other family lived for
many years upon the 'Three Creeks," five miles below
Bennettsville, but, so far as the writer knows, no member
of it bearing the name is left in Marlboro. But the well-
known and much- respected late A. C. Mclnnis married
Miss Flora, a handsome granddaughter of the old man

McColl, a native of Scotland, who lived and died

about half a mile from what was long known as ''McColl's
Cross Roads." S. J. Mclnnis is the first born of this in-
teresting couple of pure Caledonian blood. By the way,
the intermarriage of Scot with Scot has been especially
characteristic of the McCoUs. Attached to the old "clan,**"
proud of their pure blood, they have married and inter-
married until they are all kin, more or less. Some of
them spell the name with an A, others retain the O,.
but nearly, if not quite all of the name in Marlboro, in.
one line or another, may trace their origin back to Appin.
The McLaurins^of Marlboro, if not quite 39 numerous,,
have, nevertheless, occupied a conspicuous place among
its best citizens. They, also, as far as can be ascertained,
came to this country soon after the War of Independence
and settled on the Little Pee Dee, some on one side,
some on the other, so it has been in all these years that
both in Richmond and Robeson Coijnties in North Car-
olina, and in Marion and Marlboro in South Carolina,
men have lived who have contributed their full share to
the prosperity and enterprise of the country. The older
people in the eastern part of the State fondly remember

142 History of Marlboro County,

three brothers of excellent character, Daniel C, John L.
and ** Little Hugh " McLaurin, all of whom have left
large and respectable families. Daniel C, who lived
where the late J. W. Roper resided, kind-hearted, hos-
pitable, and ever ready to serve his country in any posi-
tion with conscientious fidelity, we all mourn his death as
the loss of a valuable citizen. John L. McLaurin, who
lived where his son, the late John B., lived, was not less
useful, less loved, and perhaps more enterprising and suc-
cessful. He, too, like his brother, served his people
quite acceptably upon the district boards. A son of his,
P. B. McLaurin, was returned to the Legislature before
the war, and another son, John B., has been elected once
since. The third brother, Hugh, spent most of his life in
North Carolina, a few miles from Laurinburg, but his
sons have several of them been for a longer or shorter
period citizens of Marlboro. L. B., Jack, Duncan and
the late Jas. R. were sons of this old man. He and his
brothers were sons of a native of Scotland. His name was
Laughlin, and his wife was a Miss McCoU, a sister of one
of the John McColls mentioned on a previous page. So
that it is not alone of late that the young McLaurins and
McColls fell in love with each other.

Another honored old man of this name, John McLaurin,
who came over in 1784, married a Miss McNair, of Rich-
mond, N. Q, and was the grandfather of Capt. Lock
and John J. McLaurin* ; the former a man of uncommon
energy and push, of fine mind, good judgment, and
modest worth ; John J. one of the best of men, a universal
favorite as a young man, as an old one, cheerful, kind-
hearted, venerated and loved. The Captain's wife was
Miss Effie McColl, ind John J. married a daughter of
Daniel C. McLaurin. " Hurricane Daniel," another
McLaurin of this stock, strayed off to Sumter County,

* Both dead.

History of Marlboro Coimty. 143

and his large and respectable connections are among the
best in our sister county.

Daniel, the head of this latter branch of the family,
came to America when his son John was about twenty
years old and settled at first near Campbellton, now
Fayetteville, N. C. After a few years spent in boating on
Cape Fear, the old patriarch came to Marlboro and
established himself near where his grandson, John J., now
lives. And the impression seems to be that Laughlin,
the ancestor of the three brothers, Hugh, Daniel C, and
John L., came about 1791 and settled at Red Bluff. In
all the years since, the descendants of these old Scotch-
men have clung to the' grounds where their fathers first
felled the forests and built their altars — quiet, unob-
trusive people, yet valuable members of society they
have always been.

CHAPTER XXII.
Clio.

This village, situated in the eastern portion of the
county, has from the first been favored with a large de-
gree of the Scottish element. It is true that it was at first
settled by old Mr. Joe Ivey. It is said that the old man
left one of the Carolinas in search of a better land, to-
wards the setting sun; that he went as far as the Chatta-
hoochee, then, as it seemed to IVey, the outer border of
civilization, a beautiful stream flowing amid a wild and
howling wilderness, with wild and savage Indians upon
either bank — he became disgusted and turned his horse's
head towards the rising sun, and returned to the spot
where Clio now stands, there pitched his tent, and pur-
chased a home in the virgin forest, with no intention or
desire that a town should ever rise upon the plain. Tra-
dition has it, that in the process of time, when at **Ivy's
Cross Roads," as it was called, stores, shops, houses and
dwellings began to rise around him, the old man ex-
plained his change of base by saying, "When they begun
to build lead houses, glass shetters, and calico chimbleys
it was time for Joe Ivy to git away.*' But Joe Ivy was
a good, honest man, who was ready to aid his fellow
man, and whom his neighbors all respected. His two
sons, Gadi and Levi, both lived to be highly respected
citizens, and have left families to honor their memory.
Gadi, especially, lived to a great age, and died at Clio,
only a few years ago, the oldest man in the community.

The father of Senator Joseph Hawley, of Connecticut,
was the first merchant to open a store at the **Cross Roads. "
It had already become a sort of center in the community,
where the militia met for drill; and "muster-day" had be-

History of Marlboro County. 145

come a day of trade. Not only was Henry Fuller on
hand with cakes, but sometimes a "covered wagon" with
something for the thirsty militiamen to drink, besides an
assortment of flour, bacon, tobacco, and leather, and
sometimes the candidates would be there, and speeches
be made, a shooting-match would come off, maybe a
horse-race or two would be run, a ring be described, a
bully would step in and challenge the crowd for a fight
and at long intervals somebody would "get hurt." The
women in the neighborhood dreaded the "muster-day,"
and the boy who got the chance of going to muster to
see the fun, counted himself a "lucky chap." Mr. Haw-
ley, with genuine Yankee instinct, saw that it was a good
place for money-making, and he bought a "little spot" of
ground and "put up a store." A good farming country
all around; honest, unsuspecting farmers, making good
crops, liked the advantage of a home market, and traded
with the shrewd Yankee, and he made money. It was
not long before others began to think that the "Cross
Roads" was a **good stand, and Hawleysville a money-
making place." William Rogers, another Northern man,
came and set up a store, soon won the affections of a Miss
McCollum, and they were married. Rogers became pop-
ular, not only as a merchant, but as a public-spirited good
man. He soon associated with himself John B. McDan-
iel, an excellent young man, born and raised in the com-
munity, who soon added to the strength of the firm by
his marriage to a daughter of Mr. Eli Thomas; then they
brought in as a salesman a polished young man, D. J. Mc-
Donald, quite an addition to the moral and social tone of
the place. Mr. McDonald was respected as a partner, and
the business increased. But, greatly to the regret of the
community, Rogers sold out and went to Bishopville, in
Sumter County, where he did well, and reared a fine fam-
ily. A son of his is at present quite a prominent and
useful.member of the South Carolina Conference. Not

146 History of Marlboro Cou7ity,

long after Mr. McDaniel sold out to John A. McRae,
and went to Arkansas, where, after conducting a large
and successful business, he died a few years ago. He
was one of those men whose capacity, manners and
spirit bring them into prominence in any community,
and his removal from it was deemed a calamity.

T. C. Weatherly, so prominent in Marlboro affairs, and
for so long one of its most popular citizens, began his busi-
ness career at Clio as a salesman with Mr. McDaniel, but
soon formed a partnership with Mr. J. L. McColl, which
continued until he was elected Sheriff of Marlboro, when
he sold out to Mr. McColl and moved to Bennettsville, in
the vicinity of which place he lived till his death. He
served the people in the State Legislature for several
terms. A man of quick mind, ready action, public spirit,
good judgment and generous impulses, he exercised a
large influence. He died at Glenn Springs a number of
years ago, where he had gone for the benefit of his health,
and his body brought home and laid in the Methodist
church yard in Bennettsville.

The Edens family have for many years been prominent
in th^ affairs of Clio. Rev. Allen Edens, who reared a
large family of sons and daughters, several of them settl-
ing in the neighborhood, and Col. T. N. Edens, not only
running a farm nearby, but for a time at the head of a
mercantile firm. William M. Bristow, W. C. Medlin, and
others, for a brief time, sold goods here before the war.
Soon after the war there came among the Clio people a
young man of handsome appearance, quiet manners, but
fine sense and business talent, first in the humble capacity
of a *'North Carolina wagoner," dealing mainly in tobacco.
Somehow young Hinshaw won the heart and hand of the
beautiful daughter of Mr. W. M. Bristow, and soon the
youthful pair made Clio their home. From that day be-
gan a new era in the prosperity and growth of the place;
lumber and flour mills run by steam and presently a foun-

History of Marlboro County, 147

dry and extensive shops went up; many operatives were
needed and came; houses were erected, and the place put
on a real town-like appearance. When the staid old town
of Cheraw came upon the stage and made such a flattering
bid for Capt. Hinshaw*s services in a foundry at that
place that his attachment to the little town he had done
so much to enlarge and beautify had to yield, and with
him went a number of good people to help build up a
new Cheraw. With the Sternbergers, Calhouns, Wopdleys,
Ropers, Welches and the entrance of a railroad, the town
has rapidly increased in population and volume of busi-
ness. The Medlins, Stantons, and those mentioned
above, with others, will not allow the grass to grow in her
streets or her just proportion of trade to pass into other
channels; but, with enterprise and energy, are opening up
new streets and constantly adding to and enlarging the
town. Commodious church buildings invite the people to
worship, Methodist and Baptist; a good school building,
occupied by first-class teachers; a Masonic hall, hotel,
workshops and mill, are all in place and room being made
for others, while all around the town in every direction
are thrifty, successful farmers vying with each other and
with others elsewhere in skill and profit.

In going out among the fields around the town, we
may find, now and then, what was once an impoverished,
worn-out old field, where the owner was scarcely able to
make a scanty support, now yielding abundant returns to
skilled labor; and the low-roofed cottages of the fathers
have disappeared and tasteful, comfortable dwellings,
neatly furnished, have taken their places. The writer
calls to mind a visit to the old Methodist church that
used to stand a mile or two below the town, and must beg
to mention a few of the humble but good men who were
there. And first of all, he would write the name of the
preacher, Dougald McPherson. His presence in some of
our modern pulpits would be akin to the effect produced

148 History of Marlboro County.

of introducing into one of our fashionable congregations
some of those old sisters we read of in Hebrews, "arrayed
in sheep skins and goat skins." Mr. McPherson was a
diminutive person, slightly stooped, dressed in homespun
clothes, a blue cotton handkerchief tied closely around his
bald head, with a few stray white hairs peeping out be-
hind his ears, minus his eyebrows, with pale, but benevo-
lent face, a feeble, cracked voice, with scarcely ever the
slightest gesture. And yet his neighbors and other in-
telligent people would sit upon the rough, backlesss
benches and listen to that old man preach on a cold win-
try day, in an open house, for an hour or more. His
language was chaste, his thoughts intelligent, his doctrine
evangelical, it is true, but not that held the people. It
was the character of the man ; his humble, consistent,
truthful, honest life, this was the preaching that won his
countrymen, and gave him a welcome and hearing
wherever he went. Precious old man, when of a great
age he sent two noble boys to the war never to return.
On Gettysburg's bloody heights, on the same day, from
the same volley, they both ^ot their discharge, united in

life, in death not divided. Mr. Ammons married

a daughter of Mr. McPherson, and works the old farm*
but lives in a better house than that which sheltered so
long the quiet, pious old couple who lived in the field. It
is said that Angus McPherson, who came from Scotland,
was the father of Dougald.

About half a mile below the old meeting house lived
old Mr. Robert Purnell. His wife was a daughter of
Jonathan Meekins. Mr. Purnell was a fine specimen of
physical manhood, well proportioned, ruddy face, gray
locks, weighing, perhaps, two hundred pounds, he would
naturally attract the attention of a stranger. His daugh-
ters, who married the Messrs. Allen and T. N. Edens,and
a fine-looking young son, who died in early life, are fav-
orably remembered.

History of Marlboro County, 149

A mile or more below, at the Cross Roads, lived Simon
Smith and wife, an aged pair, with a single daughter.
The daughter afterwards married Charles T. McRae, while
an older daughter was already Mrs. Henry Covington. A
son, John, had long since married a Miss Weatherly and
had gone to Alabama; and William R.. a scholarly, intel-
lectual man, was, for a time, a member of the South Caro-
lina Conference, but had recently married and located
and for sometime taught school at Parnassus. Another
old man remembered as being at that old church now
nearly fifty years ago, was James Quick, the ancestor of
the worthy family of that name who now live a few miles
above Clio. It is doubtful if any man of that day, moving
in the same sphere in that community, exercised a wider
influence; an influence which has told for good upon his
posterity from that day to this.

Still another is remembered, old Mr. Matthew Drig-
gers. He, too, has left a large connection behind him.
A younger man than those mentioned above was Wright
Wilson, who afterwards became a Methodist preacher,
and has a son in the ministry now. Daniel Dunbar is
also remembered as living near Clio at the time. He was
as the father of the late J. C. Dunbar.

May we not linger yet around this little town to make
mention of the Calhouns and others? Would that our
space permitted a more extended notice. Within less
than two miles Mr. Alexander Calhoun has lived to rear
a family and yet lingers upon the shores of time, a pure-
minded, consistent Christian gentleman. Of pure Scottish
descent, honest, truthful, always modest and retiring, yet
commanding the sincere respect of his neighbors, he is
among the oldest men in the community. His brothers,
John and Dougald, have gone before him to the tomb, but
have left their impress upon sons and daughters they have
left behind as valuable members of society. Perhaps no
man was longer seen around Clio than John Cork. Humble

1 50 History of Marlboro County,

and unpretending, ready to take the road on errands for
the merchants, or to enter the shops of the mechanics or
the fields of the farmers; wherever he could make himself
useful, even to old age, he still trod the streets of Clio, till
he died the oldest citizen of the town.

The Stantons, too, have a record in this community
older than the town. Handy and Thomas both have left
large families of useful citizens and excellent farmers.
On the one side of Clio, and now, perhaps, within the
limits of the town, may be seen the snowy locks of John,
a son of Handy, and the partner of his life** pilgrimage,
Sarah Heustiss. Denied, in the providence of Heaven,
children of their own, yet seldom without the children of
other people, to care for, and to love. Their reward is in
Heaven, their record on high. W. Godfrey Stanton,
another son of Handy, who married a daughter of Major
Aaron Breeden, has long lived near the little town, and
sometimes within it, is growing to be an old citizen; bu
has sons and daughters to remember him when gone to
his long home. On the other side of the town there is
Peter and Evander, sons of Thomas Stanton, both with
silver locks, but not as old as they look. The former in
his bachelor loneliness; the other with a flock around him
to honor his memory when gone. Good men both; may
they yet be spared the reaper's sickle for many days.
Others of this name and family are as worthy of mention
but we hurry on to mention other families. Recollection
next brings up the gray head of Mr. James Woodley,who
died several years ago. He married the daughter of Jona-
than Cottingham, who has been mentioned in another
chapter. Wr. Woodley lived in Hebron township, but on
the Clio side. He was a man of integrity and industry,
and taught it to his sons, John C. and Jonathan. John C,
his oldest son, married Miss Mary John, and near the
village of Clio they have reared a fine family, sons and
daughters of character and worth, who know how to ap-

History of Marlboro County, 1 5 1

preciate the advantages that have come from a father's
energy and thrift, a mother's prudence and piety. Mr.
Woodley died a few years ago. Jonathan, living between
his own father and Col. Covington, the father of his wife,
could hardly be excused, if he had failed to make of
himself a comfortable home, and of himself a useful,
worthy citizen of the County.

CHAPTER XXIII.
Scottish Settlers. — Continued.

About the beginning of the struggle between the Col-
onies and the mother country there left the Isle of Skye,
(as tradition says) an old man with nine sons. Whether
Ian McRae foresaw the strife, and wished to be a wit-
ness and participant, or whether he thought the king
would soon quiet the little "family fray," does not ap-
pear. But the six months voyage upon the deep buried
old Ian, amid the seaweeds ; but from the nine ruddy boys
who landed upon the North Carolina coast there has
come, it is supposed most, if not all, of the name in Marl-
boro, and many in Marion and the adjacent counties in
North Carolina. " A little silver cup of peculiar shape,"
with an inscription in Gaelic, with the name **Ian," is yet
sacredly preserved as a relic of one of the progenitors of
the family. One of the nine brothers, Christopher, lived
and reared a large family of sons and daughters, where
Mr. Charles Crosland now resides.

John L. Alexander and Colon, Mrs. Sallie Weatherly,
Polly McRae, Katie Battle, Barbara Peterkin and Chris-
tian Bristoware remembered among them, several of whom
have many representatives in the country to-day.

Another brother of the nine was that good old
man, Roderic, who settled in the woods, opposite where
Mr. James Wright now lives. It is said that when he
first "pitched his tent" there the country was so wild and
sparsely settled that he "had to build a strong house of
heavy logs for his sheep, and fasten it securely to keep
them from destruction by the wolves." Of this old man's
family, John D., and Duncan D., who was a popular Tax
Collector, are remembered with the sisters, Mrs. Alford,

History of Marlboro Coufity, 153

_ «

•

the mother of our fellow citizen, Jacob, and his sisters,
Mrs. W. C. McLeod, Mrs. John Meekins, Mrs. Hugh Mc-
Lucas, Mrs. Margaret Spears, and the first Mrs. Jessie
Peterkin, all of them ladies of fine character who have
left their impress upon their children, or others placed
under their care.

Another of the nine was a grandfather of the brothers,
Alex, and Murdoch, of the Red Bluff community — men
well known for their worth and honorable position in
society. Still another was the father of the late John T.
McRae, who lived just across the line in Marion, a few
miles below Donohoe. He was the father of Mrs. Philip
McRae, Mrs. Duncan Carmichael, and has descendants
among us to honor his memory. A daughter. Miss Katie,
leaves with those that surround her interesting traditions
of the family. Among these it is told that in the ab-
sence of Christopher, named previously, who was the
grandfather of our late fellow citizen, Jno. A. McRae,
"A band of Tories was seen approaching the house, and
Mrs. McRae, with an infant three weeks old, seized her
baby, and with young Roderic, but fourteen years old,
ran off and spent the night in the woods." Another
story is that as a band came stealthily to the McRae
house, they were too near for the inmates to flee, or to
conceal their valuables. "But one of the women placed
the silver spoons in her dress bosom, and conscrous that
she was observed, seized a hank of thread and stuffed
that in after the spoons, and when the intruders demand-
ed what she had thus hidden away, she drew out the
yarn, and hurled it into the face of one them, saying *I
think you might allow a poor woman to keep her own
thread,' and the Tory threw it back, saying 'You are so
smart you may keep it.' The beds were ripped open and
the feathers scattered in the search for treasure. The
excellent Mrs. M. C. McLeod remembers some of those
spoons. Mrs. McLucas and Mrs. Spears each inherited

1 54 History of Marlboro County,

a spoon, and she thinks that Mrs. Bristow and Mrs. Sallie
Peterkin have one each."

Another of the original nine brothers died a young man
at the house of Roderic. Where the others settled is
not known, but it is very clear that other McRaes came
early to this region of the country. Upon the banks of
Three Creeks there lived and died one named James Mc-
Rae, whose wife, an excellent lady, was also a McRae, aunt
to General McQueen. Mrs. Thompson now lives at the old
place where Duncan, Philip, James, Colon, Jno.R. Katy, and
Mrs. Murchison, if no more,were reared to maturity. A mile
or two distant lived another old Scotchman, Charles Mc-
Rae, generally called **Squire," a local Methodist preach-
er. The older people may remember him as an old man
nearly if not quite as old as Roderic. Our excellent
fellow citizen, Hugh McCollum, is a grandson of this old
man. His sons, Farquar and Charles T., have their rep-
resentatives also in the country. What was the relation-
ship between these, or to the large family, it is not known.
But like other Scottish people, they seem to have brought
their native prejudices with them to the New World. If
a marriageable young woman could be found in their own
or some kindred clan, who was not too close kin, she was
preferred to a stranger in whose veins might flow the
blood of foe or alien; and hence from the earliest day of
their landing upon American soil, they have married and
intermarried until almost every McRae is kin to every
other McRae. Yet many another name has been enam-
ored with the charms of Scottish daughters, and managed
by art and solemn promises to win them to other names
and homes, where yet they have never failed to leave
their own Scottish characteristics.

It was a fortunate thing for these pages that a love af-
fair brought together a granddaughter of Roderic McRae
and a young scion of a **Laird McLeod of Skye"; and
thus traditions of the two families have been united and

History of Marlboro County, 155

treasured in one intelligent mind and retentive memory.
And from the pen of Mrs. M. C. McLeod there has been
culled much of this chapter. She is the loved and hon-
ored widow of Major D. M. D. McLeod, who fell upon
the bloody field of Gettysburg, the idol of his regiment.

The Isle of Skye used to be under the control of three
"Lairds." One of these was a McLeod.

For a time the McLeods and McDonalds lived side by
side as loving as brothers, but it came to pass that a Mc-
Donald married a Lady McLeod, and afterwards deserted
her, a feud arose, war was waged, blood was shed, the
McDonalds were worsted and fled to a cave for security.
The McLeods built a fire at the cave's mouth, and smok-
ed their enemies to peace, or to death, rather. A son of
one of these Laird McLeods married a lady of noble
birth. Miss Jane Hunter, and sailed with a brother Alex,
his wife and three children, for the ports of America.
This Lady Jane Hunter, before her marriage, was some
time at Court. She had two brothers, eminent physi-
cians, who took up an unfinished work of Harvey's on
blood circulation, and prepared a work which made a
sensation in the medical world. One of these brothers
is said to have been appointed ship's surgeon under
Commodore Anson, on a voyage around the world, and
while upon this cruise the specimens and curiosities col-
lected became a nucleus of a splendid museum bearing
his name in Glasgow, his native city. While upon this
voyage, the vessel touched upon the North Carolina
coast, and a party went as far as Anson County, which, it
is claimed, received its name in honor of the Commodore.

The McLeod who married Lady Hunter was an ad-
venturer, had a vessel and was called a Commodore. Some
years before the Revolutionary War he brought his wife
and three children to Wilmington, North Carolina, and
while absent on a cruise about 1775, or 1776, his wife died.

This sad intelligence reached the Commodore when off
11

1 56 History of Marlboro County,

St. Helena and so overwhelmed him with grief that he
soon died; whereupon the sorrowing brother, Alex, went
to Scotland and induced two maiden sisters, Betsy and
Isabella, to come over and take charge of the three chil-
dren, John, Daniel and Isabella. Sometime after the war
the aunt, Isabella, and the three young people came to the
neighborhood of Hunt's Bluff, in Marlboro. John, the
elder brother, set up a store, and soon died of feven
Daniel married Miss Catharine Evans and reared a large
family; John, William, Daniel and Donald McDiarmid
were the sons that attained manhood's estate. When the
latter was born a Scottish bachelor friend of the family
asked to give the child his name, Donald McDiarmid.
The parents consented, and when a few years later he
made his will be bequeathed a fund to be used in giving
the boy a "collegiate education." So it came to pass that
D. M. D. McLeod was graduated at the South Carolina
College, taught school for a while, loved and married
Margaret C. Alford; went to the war in command of a
company, became Major, and fell greatly lamented at
Gettysburg.

Mr. McDiarmid sleeps in the graveyard at Old Salem.
The daughters of Daniel McLeod were the following:
Betsy, who married Rev. Wm. R. Smith; Mary, who be-
came the wife of Col. James R. Bethea, of Marion; Isa-
bella, who married Daniel Horn, of Cheraw, and subse-
quently moved to Georgia; and Ellen, who married a Mr.
Mcintosh, of Georgia. Sisters and brothers all, except
an old friend, Daniel, have passed away. Many pleasant
memories crowd the mind of the writer as he pens these
lines — memories of Uncle McLeod, Aunt Katie and
Aunt Isabella, who had changed her name to Bodiford,
who, now in old age, crippled and infirm, had found a
home in the house of her brother. Whatever the religion
of the McLeods in Scotland they were Methodist here.
Prayer and praise ascended from the family altar, and if

History of Marlboro County, 157

"Uncle McLeod was absent, Aunt Isabella led in the
prayer." They had built a little log house in the woods
nbtfarfrom where Berry Alford now lives, and called it
"McLeod's Meeting House.'* -^ They had preaching there
and a little society which ultimately united with Mossy
Bay and formed. Parnassus. The writer remembers to
have attended service there more than a half a century
ago, when the McLeods did most of the singing, and
Charles McRae the preaching. On one occasion, when
visiting the McLeod boys, other boys of the neighborhood
joined us on Saturday afternoon, and somehow we got in-
to the old ^'meeting house." One of the boys found a
window shutter that yielded to his ingenuity and swung
open when eight or ten chaps found themselves inside.
Some fellow transformed himself into "Uncle Charley
McRae," entered the pulpit and began a senseless ha-
rangue which he called preaching. The rest of us, seated
around the altar, encouraged him with "amens," clapping
of hands, and an occasional "hallelujah," when suddenly
the door opened and the portly form of Uncle McLeod
stepped inside. The reader can imagine how quickly the
congregation dispersed without "the benediction." The
writer was not so swfft in action and was fairly caught
and began to weep in earnest, but the laughter of the old
man soon reassured him, and we two closed up the house
and returned to the dwelling. It was late before some of
the boys reported at home.

The McLucases have been a long time in the country.
Two brothers, Daniel and John, came with their young
families from Scotland. We have no information further
as to Daniel. But John has left an excellent family be-
hind him. Two sons, John and Hugh, are both well re-
membered as good citizens. Hugh married a daughter
of that grand old Scotchman, Roderick McRae, who
furnished so many wives to the Marlboro men, who have
left so salutary an influence upon others than their own

158 History of Marlboro County,

children. John D. McLucas, of Marion, and Roderick, of
McColl section, of Marlboro, are sons of this worthy pair,
and several daughters of fine character are perpetuating
the virtues of their descent.

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Old Court House.

Oh the 25th of March, 1785, an Act was passed by the
General Assembly ot South Carolina creating several
judicial districts out of the territory of Old Cheraw, in-
cluding Chesterfield, Liberty (now Marion) and Marlboro.
Claudius Pegues, Geo. Hicks, Morgan Brown, Tristram
Thomas, Claudius Pegues, Jr., Moses Pearson and Thomas
Evans, by the same Act, were appointed to select a site
and superintend the erection of a courthouse and jail.
The spot chosen was on the north bank of Crooked Creek,
about six miles west from Bennettsville, near what has
been known as Evans' Mill.* The deed from Gen. Tris-
tram Thomas, conveying the ground to the commissioners
above named, is upon record in the Clerk's office. The
house erected was a two-story wooden building, convenient
in its arrangement, and ample in size for that day. Scarcely
any signs of that "old court-house," and the few buildings
that arose around it, can now be seen. But the influence
of the men to whom the administration of justice was en-
trusted and upon whom the formation of society and pub-
lic opinion devolved, lives on, and is felt to-day in all this
surrounding country. For the first fourteen years of
our judicial history, law was administered by County
Courts; and the commissioners to build the court-house

*Mr. Aaron Sweat, who is quite an old man, and who is ^f the same
family as the Revolutionary patriot mentioned in a previous chapter,
says that Mr. Jesse Pearce, on one occasion, showed him a site that was
first selected for the court-house. It was to hav^ been quite near to the
Gardner's Bluff road and not far from the present cross-roads leading
from Bennettsville to Gardner's Bluff and from Evans' Mill to Cheraw.
But the site was finally chosen lower down the river and nearer to Evans'
Mill.

1 62 History of Marlboro Coutity.

were the judges in the first of these courts, and a number
of them are represented in some of our most respectable
families. Old Judge Moses Pearson's great-grandson,
Hon. C. P. Townsend, the senior member of theBennetts-
ville bar, with credit, to himself presided in the courts of
the State for several years.

The first Circuit Court held in Marlboro was in the
year 1800, Judge Wm. Johnson presiding. This distin-
guished jurist was elevated to the Supreme Bench of the
United States by President Jefferson in 1804. After him
such men as Grimke, Waties, Bay, Brevard, Nott, Colcock,
and Trezevant held court at the **old court-house."
The commission and order of Gov. Drayton requiring the
holding of the Court are recorded in one of the old
journals in the Clerk's office, presumably- because he,
Johnson, was sworn in and held his first Court at Marl-
boro "old court-house." Here, too, such men as Falconer,
Witherspoon, Wilds, the Ervins, Robbins, and J. J. Evans
**practiced law." And sin^ce Evans has been mentioned,
who was afterwards made a Circuit Judge and frequently
presided in our courts, it is well to name some of the men
who have sat upon the bench and are remembered by th6
writer. J. J. Evans, that grand old Roman, must be men-
tioned first. His people sent him to the Legislature in
181 2 before he was twenty-six years old. Before they
could vote for him again he removed to Darlington, and
in 1 8 16 was elected to the Legislature from that District.
In 1829 he was made a circuit Judge, and in 1850 elected
to the United States Senate Marlboro never lost her in-
terest in him, never forgot that he was her own son. And
when in 1858 he calmly folded his honors about him and
fell asleep, such political opponents as Wilson, of Massa-
chusetts, and Hale, of New Hampshire, vied with each
other in weaving garlands for his tomb. Marlboro felt
the bereavement not less than Darlington, his adopted
home. The humorous, witty Richard Gantt is remem*

History of Marlboro County, 163

bered, who used to pour forth such eloquence and pathos
in passing sentence upon criminals as to move the most
hardened. Then for thirty-two years the frail forcn of
John S. Richardson was seen upon the bench. When he
was seventy a proposition was made in the Legislature to
remove him from office "on account of his bodily and
mental infirmities," but when he was permitted to speak
for himself he utterly demolished the opposition and "all
further proceedings were discharged." Daniel Elliott
Huger, full six feet high, manly, erect and "firm as gran-
ite," the people were always glad for him to preside.
Baylis J. Earle, the able, pure, "just judge," was several
times on the bench here. Judge O'Neal, who could stand
nowhere but in the front rank in statesmanship, agri-
culture, education, religion not less than as a jurist, he stood
among the leaders. Andrew Pickens Butler is remem-
bered on account of his florid face, his snowy locks, his
peculiar dancing eyes, his martial bearing, his uncontroll-
able love of fun, which would sometimes convulse the
court-room. In 1846 he was elected to the United States
Senate, and for two years hctnbred the position, and died
lamented by the whole country. After these came such
me^n as Glover, Withers, Whitner, and Munro. It is a
bright array and they have left shining footprints upon
the path now trodden by their successors.

After Equity Courts began to be held in Marlboro the
bench was graced by the learned William Harper, David
Johnson, afterwards Governor of the State; Job Johnson/
the dignified, truthful Francis Wardlaw Dunkin, G. W.
Dargan, James J. Caldwell, the clear-headed John A. Inglis,
Chancellor Carroll and our own W. D. Johnson.

The members of the bar who have illustrated and ex-
pounded the principles of law in the courts of Marlboro
make an array of talent of which any people might be
proud. Reference can only be made to such as have been
known and heard. And of these one must be mentioned

164 History of Marlboro County,

who was distinguished more in the councils of the nation
than at the bar, Col. John Campbell, who succeeded his
hardly less notable brother, Gen. Robert B., in the United
States Congress in 1836, and where he continued in service
to the end of his life in 1844. Polished, amiable, modest
and yet fearless, he was one of the most fascinating speakers
Marlboro has ever reared. In our, boyhood we knew
James R. Ervin, of whom it was said "few men were more
talented than he." With the settlement of Bennettsville
three gifted young men arose as lights in the profession,
James E. David, the friend of the people; Col. C. W.
Dudley, the astute and successful lawyer, both of whom
represented the county in both houses of the General
Assembly; and Gen. John McQueen, for a dozen years a
member of Congress; and then later on by a few years,
three other sons scarcely less brilliant — Chas. A. Thorn-
well, Samuel J. Townsend and Harris Covington, all of
whom were in the Legislature for longer or shorter periods.
And then the promising brothers, Daniel White, and
Neill D. Johnson, and P. B. McLaurin, all of whom laid
down their lives for the "lost cause." Besides all these
our courts have been visited by gentlemen from neighbor-
ing counties, who have shed light and knowledge upon
questions of law and justice; while Withers and Hanna,
and the Mclvers, father and son, were a terror to evil
doers in the office of Circuit Solicitor. W. W. Sellers and
J. M. Johnson, of Marion, and G. W. Dargan, of Darling-
ton, have each as solicitor, visited our court from time to
time; and Marlboro has been honored in having D. D.
McCoU and H. H. Newton in the Solicitorship.

It may not be inappropriate to mention the names of
members of the Bennettsville bar who are yet alive and
shedding luster on their profession. W. D. Johnson, for
a number of years prior to the war, sat on the bench as
Judge in Chancery; and was also Senator. He was ad-
mitted to practice law in 1846, and, though approaching

History of Marlboro County, 165

eighty years of age, is still in the active practice of
his profession. He removed to Marion a few years after
the war, but we have never given up our claim on him.
He owns extensive and valuable plantations in the county,
and annually makes a visit to his old home. His partner
in law, at Marion, J. M. Johnson, lived for some years in
the county of Marlboro, first as a successful school
teacher, and then as an attorney at law, so that the Ben-
nettsville bar can justly claim them both. Ten years af-
ter W. D. Johnson, C. P. Townsend was admitted to the
bar. Both before and siflce the war he has represented
the County in the Legislature. For a number of years
he filled the office of Commissioner in Equity for the
County and after the war was elevated to the bench and
filled the place with honor to himself and to the entire
satisfaction of the bar and people. As a lawyer in crimi-
nal cases or civil suits he stands well to the front. His
former partner, John L. McLaurin, the son of P. B. Mc-
Laurin, mentioned above, seems to have been born for
luck. In a very few years after his admission to the bar
he was elected to the State Legislature, and the Attorney-
General having been elevated to a seat on the Supreme
Bench, he was appointed Attorney-General; soon there-
after the Congressman for this District, Gen. E. T. Stack-
house, having died, McLaurin succeeded him, and has
been in Congress ever since. He resigned his seat
in Congress to accept the appointment of United States
Senator to succeed Senator Earle. He is a fine
stump speaker, a shrewd politician, and very popular
with the people. H. H. Newton served one or more
terms as Solicitor for the Fourth Judicial Circuit.
Was a member of the Legislature, and was instrumental
in having passed the stock law, for which he was at first
roundly abused, l^ut abuse has long since been turned in-
to thanks, and now the people appreciate the fact that he
did them a service. D. D. McColl has been a successful

1 66 History of Marlboro County,

lawyer. He was Solicitor for one or more terms, and
criminals were justly afraid of him. He has retired from
the active practice of law and devotes his time to the in-
terests of the Bank of Marlboro, of which he is the Presi-
dent. T. E. Dudley was admitted to law in 1858 and
has always been considered a conscientious, painstaking
la^vyer, careful apd exact in his work, and has held a fair
share of practice at the Bennettsville bar. He represen-
ted the county in the late Constitutional Convention.
J. H. Hudson, a native of Chester, came to Bennettsville
in 1853, fresh from the South Carolina College, to take
charge of the Male Academy. He taught four years*
studied law and was admitted to practice in 1857, and in
1858 was elected to the Legislature. He entered the
Confederate service as a private and rose to the rank of
Lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-Sixth Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers. He was Circuit Judge of the Fourth
Judicial Circuit for four terms, from 14th February, 1878,
to 14th February, 1894, and has resumed practice in the
courts again. Knox Livingston, a native of Florida,
came to Bennettsville in May, 1870, and in that year he
and H. H. Newton were admitted to the bar, formed a
co-partnership with J. H. Hudson and soon came to the
front as successful lawyers. Each has represented the
County in the Legislature with marked ability. Other
younger men are fast coming to the front as successful
practitioners, such as Bouchier, Caston, Rogers (who rep-
resented the county in the Constitutional Convention of
1895), H. H. Covington and T. M. Hamer.

CHAPTER XXV.

The Removal of the Court-house to Bennettsville.

Two causes led to this event: the increase of popula-
tion in the central and eastern portion of the District, and
' the unhealthfulness of the "old court-house" locality, on
account of the nearness of the Pee Dee swamps. Accord-
ingly, on December 14th, 1819, an Act was passed by the
Legislature directing that **a new court-house and jail be
immediately erected." Nathan B. Thomas, Gen. Gillespie,
Drury Robertson, W. G. Feagan, James Forniss, James R.
Ervin and William Brown were appointed commissioners
to contract for and supervise the building. The site
was selected and John S. Thomas deeded to the authori-
ties three acres of ground since called the "public square."
The deed was executed and recorded April 4, 1820.
But delays occurred in the erection of the court-house so
that when the great storm of 1822 swept over the country
the brick walls were approaching completion, but not
finished, and the torrents of rain and the force of the
wind caused one of the walls to crack from the top to bottom
and from that day there were thoughtful men who doubted
the security of the building, which was imposing in ap-
pearance and convenient in arrrangement. There were
people who called it a "man trap," a "dead fall," and were
afraid to enter it with a crowd. Hence its brief life, of
less than thirty years, for it was not till the beginning of
1824 that it was finished and received, and in 1851 it was
torn down. Portions of the "old court-house" near the
river and other buildings were removed to the new site.
Our fathers began to think "perhaps there will be a village
here some of these days," and "it would be well to give
the place a name"; and as the Governor of the State at

1 68 History of Marlboro County,

that time was named Bennett, in honor of him they began
to call the place Bennettsville. If the thought had once
entered their minds that a town would grow up around
the courthouse, to be governed by a Mayor and Alder-
men, with a half dozen churches, fine schools, several
dozen stores, great brick blocks and iron horses drawing
men and goods to it, upon an iron road, and hauling
thousands of cotton bales, weighing five hundred pounds
to the bale, and bringing in turn thousands of tons of fer-
tilizers to enrich the soil, they would have given the infant
town a mote pretentious name. As Monroe was presi-
dent at the time they might have named it "Monroe."
Or if the district of which it was to be the capital must be
called after the grand old English Duke and soldier, who
never felt the sensation of defeat in a whole lifetime of
war, they might have concluded, "we will call the place
Marlboro"; and that would have been proper, especially
could they have looked forward sixty years, and seen the
whole country for miles around, so like a town that you
can hardly get out of sight of farm buildings and resi-
dences, many of them looking more like a town than ever
the "old court-house" and its surroundings did in its palm-
iest days.

But it is time that something be said of the unique
structure that was replaced by the present handsome build-
ing. On the 19th of December, 1849, the Legislature
appropriated "eight thousand dollars to build a new
court-house for Marlboro." M. Townsend, Dr. William
Crosland, James Spears and others of like character, had
entrusted to them the superintendence of the enterprise.
Neil McNeil was the contractor, and after some delays,
it was completed and accepted about the beginning of the
year 1852. The first court held in it was in March of that
year. The people generally, and the courts, were never
satisfied with its accommodations and arrangements, and
when some years ago, a portion of the plastering and cor-

History of Marlboro County, 169

-i

nicing fell off, it was not difficult to have it condemned
as unsafe, and to institute proceedings to build a new one.
An act was passed authorizing the measure, and the
County Commissioners, P. M. Hamer, J. H. David, and
Tristram Covington took charge of the enterprise. The
contract was given to Jacob S. Allen, of North Carolina,
and in the year 1885 ^^^ present building was completed,
being the fourth one in a century, and it is devoutly
hoped that the men who shall administer law and justice
within its walls in the future years, shall never fall below
their predecessors in truth, honesty and uprightness.

On the 27th of March, A. D., 1884, the cornerstone of
the present handsome and commodious new court-house
was laid with due ceremony, and in the spring of 1885
the building was completed and occupied. At a special
term of the Court of Common Pleas begun to be holden
on the 4th day of May, 1885, Judge J. H. Hudson, presid-
ing, the imposing structure was dedicated. The cere-
mony was arranged by the Marlboro bar, and was the
first of the kind of which we have knowledge. It was
unique, original, appropriate, and impressive. The pro-
gramme was as follows: The proceedings were opened
with prayer by Rev. T. J. Clyde, of the Methodist Church
followed by the opening address by Rev. J. A. W.
Thomas, of the Baptist Church, at the close of which he
delivered to the Court the Holy Bible with a solemn
charge as to its use. The presiding Judge received the
Book and responded to the address. Ex-Judge C. P.
Tcwnsend, the senior member of the Bar, on behalf of
his brethren, next addressed the Court, and closed by de-
livering to the Court a pair of scales symbolical of the
"Scales of Justice," The presiding Judge, receiving the
scales, responded. Next H. H. Newton, Esq., Solicitor of
the Fourth Judicial Circuit, addressed the Court, and
closed by delivering to the Judge a copy of the General
Statutes, on receiving which the Judge responded, and

170 History of Marlboro County,

delivered to the Clerk of Court, C. M. Weatherly, the
keys of the building, which had been in a few appropriate
remarks delivered to him by J. F. Bolton, Chairman of
the Board of County Commissioners. The closing prayer
was then delivered by Rev. W. B. Corbett, of the Presby-
terian Church, and the immense audience of ladies and
gentlemen dispersed. Their attention had been held un-
interruptedly from the opening to the closing of the im-
pressive exercises, a full record of which may be found in
the Journal of Common Pleas, beginning on page 448 of
the volume of 1878 to 1886. The record is valuable, and
will be interesting to posterity.

CHAPTER XXVI.
Bennettsville.

On December 14, 1819, an act was passed by the Legisla-
ture of South Carolina, Robeson Carlos and James Gil-
lespie representing Marlboro, authorizing the erection of
a "new brick court-house and jail." The court-house at
that time was situated a mile or so from Pee Dee River,
and not many miles from the mouth of Crooked Creek; but
on account of the unheaithfulness of the place and its in-
accessibility, it was thought best to move nearer to the cen-
ter of the district; and hence the present site was selected
by a State engineer and is said to be very nearly the exact
geographical center of the county. The place chosen was
"upon the great road leading from Society Hill to Fayette-
ville in or near an old apple orchard on the land of John
S. Thomas." Three acres of land for the court-house and
jail and public square was accordingly deeded by John S.
Thomas, and the deed was recorded by Wm. Bristow,
clerk, April 4, 1820. John S. Thomas lived on the road
already mentioned and not more than fifty yards from
where the Presbyterian church now stands. He is the
maternal great-grandfather of Messrs. L. D., C. T., and
John Hamer, at Tatum. James Cook, the grandfather of
Misses Olivia and Sallie Cook, and Mrs. J. L. Breeden, and
Mrs. Jno. S. Moore was a near neighbor to Thomas, and
principally upon land that belonged to them, Bennettsville
stands to-day.

Bennettsville was named in honor of the Governor of
the State. Governor Bennett was Governor at the time
of the passage of the act authorizing the removal of the
court-house and doubtless signed the bill. -No one knew
him, but that made no difference, for men in high places
at that day were not only respectable, but respected.

1/2 History of Marlboro Cou7ity,

There was some delay in the completion of the court-
house and it was not finished till' 1824. People at that
time did not understand the modern process of "booming
new towns," and the town did not grow rapidly. It was
before the day of railroads and electricity. Atlanta and
Chicago had not been thought of, and the first settlers in
Bennettsville doubtless thought it best to go slow. The
nearest saw-mill was Vining's, now McDaniel's, and a road
had to be opened before they could get there; so that
material for building purposes was scarce and hard to get-
Circular saws and steam power had not then found a lodg-
ment in the unbroken forests of virgin pine. One or more
of the first houses were built of material brought from the
"old court-house." The Peter McColl house that was
burnt a few years ago was built by Alex. R. Brown, largely
from material brought from there. Also the house so
long known as the Marlboro Hotel, but popularly called
the "Buck Horn," from the pair of large antlers nailed for
a long time in the front piazza.

Among the first settlers may be mentioned Wm. Mun-
nerlyn, Joseph D. Massey and Amos A. Galpin. Galpin
had a store about where Grace's barber shop stands.
Munnerlyn, who was a stepson of John S. Thomas, had a
store on the corner now occupied by R. L. Kirkwood.
He began on a very small scale, but, by close and judicious
attention to business, soon became one of thie two leading
merchants. He built a large store on the corner now
occupied by J. M. Jackson; another where C» M. Weath-
erly is now doing business, and still another on the corner
below the post-office. He was associated in business with
his half-brother, Horace B. Thomas, and might have been
a very wealthy man, but the seductive andofttimes treach-
erous cotton business finally swamped him. He was the
father of the late Chas. T. Munnerlyn, who was favorably
known here, but moved to Alabama and died a few years
ago. Joseph D. Massey had a store on the corner where the

History of Marlboro County, 173

Rowe Bros, are now doing business. Massey came origi-
nally from Lancaster, but did not make money. He, in
in common with all the storekeepers at that day, sold
liquor.

As far back as 1826, besides the names already men-
tioned, the male population of Bennettsville consisted of
Dr. Edward W. Jones, Dr. Wm. Crosland, John McCol-
lum, George Dudley, William Dudley, Horace B.Thomas,
Alex. R. Brown. Gen. John McQueen settled in Ben-
nettsville in 1827, and built a law office on the corner now
occupied by C. S. McCall's mammoth store. Dr. Jones
built the house and lived where Douglas Jennings now lives.
He removed to Mississippi in 1834. Dr. Crosland, the father
of William, Charles, George, Edward and Throop, had an
office about where the building owned by James E. Coxe
now stands on Depot street. He built him a bachelor's
hall where J. J. Rowe lived, now occupied by Strauss'
livery stable, in which he and Mr. Wm. Dudley lived until
the Doctor married and settled atthe place since occupied
by the family. He enjoyed a very lucrative practice and
made money.

John McCollum's store stood on the west side of the Pub-
lic Square, where the post-office now stands. Originally it
had a piazza the whole length of the front of the build-
ing. Indeed, all of the stores then had them, and benches
thereon for the customers to sit upon after coming in from
a ride or walk, and after having taken a drink — one or more.
His dwelling house stood where Capt. P. L. Breeden now
lives. He was an upright, good citizen, and commanded
the universal respect of the people. Capt. Joshua David
built a house on the east side of the Public Square on the
corner. He doubtless lived in it awhile, for he filled the
office of Sheriff and Clerk, and for a number of years was
Ordinary for the District. The house was afterwards
known as the Tavern, and kept for years by Philip Miller.

The bakery and candy shop stood immediately on the
12

174 History of Marlboro County,

corner, and the hotel was a little further back. On the
block where the bank now stands, but on the corner, and
quite near to the street, the Masons erected the Marlboro
Hotel, removing it from the old court-house, it being the
first house erected in Bennettsville. It had, no doubt,
been greatly improved and enlarged since those days, but
like most of the old landmarks, it came to be an eyesore
to the fastidious tastes of the modern Bennettsvillian, and
was removed some years ago, and quite recently has been
entirely demolished and a handsome new hotel built on
the spot.

One of the early settlers, Harvey J. Baldwin, a North-
erner, built a house on the lot formerly occupied by
S. J. Townsend, but now owned by Mrs. Adams, and
known far and wide as the Adams House. Another. Dr.
Benjamin by name, owned the lot and partly completed
a house on the lot now owned by H. W. Carroll. He
sold out to Wm. Munnerlyn and went to Marion. Amos
Galpin, who has already been mentioned, bought land
from John S. Thomas lying on both sides of the street
leading towards Cheraw. The east side of the street, the
block next the Public Square, he sold to Henry Covington,
who in turn sold to Horace Thomas. The west side
was purchased from Galpin by Robeson A. Carloss,
who sold to Gen. McQueen, and Col. C. W. Dudley. The
house now occupied by F. M. Emanuel was built by Rev.
Thomas Cook, who once merchandised in Bennettsville,
on the corner below where the post-office now stands.

This sketch of the first settlers, their homes and places
of business, shows that the little town began gradually to
assume shape and to make its mark upon the geography of
the country. Town lots were laid off, and it is fair to
presume that James Cook and John S. Thomas felt them-
selves in great luck that the town decided to stake down
at their very doors, and perhaps spread out all around
them. The line dividing their land ran perhaps between

History of Marlboro County, 173

Judge Hudson's law office and the Adams House to the
run of the creek* and south towards the Crosland resi-
dence. One of the first lots purchased was the Marlboro
Hotel lot, which was purchased by Mrs. Dudley, the
grandmother of T. E. Dudley. It is perfectly safe to say
that not one of the original purchasers are alive to-day.
It would be interesting and instructive to note the changes
that have taken place in the ownership of the land lying
around the Public Square. It would be a revelation to
be able to note changes that have taken place in the
market value of the land contiguous to the Square since
1826 and up to date.

The land lying to the west of John S. Thomas was
owned by Hartwell Ayer, the father of the late Mrs. J. B.
Breeden. The dividing line between Thomas and Ayer
was about the gully just west of T. E. Dudley's residence.
Col. C. W. Dudley purchased two tracts of land from Mr.
Ayer, one of seventy acres on the south side of the Socie-
ty Hill road, and another of one hundred and nine acres
to the north of the same road. When the new court-
house was being erected, from 1819 to 1824, the land upon
which East Bennettsville now stands was doubtless owned
by Nathan B. Thomas, the grandfather of the late H: P.
Johnson. He was one of the commissioners appointed to
supervise the erection of the court-house, and perhaps
made the brick for the building.

We have told of the first early years of the history of
Bennettsville and something of the early settlers of the
town. Those early settlers may have been disappointed
at the slow growth of the young town. A few stayed
awhile and then moved on to seek their fortunes else-
where; others remained to aid in the development and
growth of the town. At the beginning of the war, say
thirty-five years from its birth, Bennettsville was still
quite a small place. A few houses were scattered irregu-
larly along the Main street from where Knox Livingston

176 History of Marlboro County.

lives down to where T. M. Bolton's residence now stands.
Col. Dudley lived still farther on. A little off from the
Main street and looking south, could be seen Mrs. Long's
and Mr. Alexander Southerland's and the Taylor place; a
little further on and looking east was the Presbyterian
church, the J. J. Rowe place and Dr. Crosland's, and yet
still further eastward was the Methodist parsonage; Judge
Hudson's house, and last of all Col. W. J. Cook's, who was
living at his father's place, which was there before Ben-
nettsville was founded. This Cook residence is the oldest
dwelling in Bennettsville or vicinity. Not long after the
Revolution it was erected by William Hodge, a brother-
in-law of Loudon Harwell; afterwards he sold the place to
James Cook and moved West. Those mentioned, with the
residences along the Main street, made up a village
of about thirty residences, besides three churches, Meth-
odist, Baptist and Presbyterian; two lodges. Masonic and
Temperance; about six stores lying around the Square,
several offices and one or more blacksmith and wood
shops. The middle-aged people will be able to call to
mind Townsend & Douglas, C. S. & M. L Henagan, John
McCoUum, and Wm. Murchison as the principal mer-
chants. W. D. Johnson, S. J. Townsend, J. H. Hudson,
C. P. Townsend and T. E, Dudley were the attorneys.
Alexander Southerland was the postmaster and druggist.
J. J. Rowe, the shoemaker; Robt. W. Little, the tailor.
J. B. and J. T. Jennings, W. J. David and Wm. D. Wallace
did the medical practice for the town and community.
Bennettsville then had no barber or undertaker. The
men must have known how to shave themselves, and if
anybody happened to die the coffin was made of pine-
boards at the shop. The town boasted of two good
schools, a male and female academy, under the manage-
ment of first-class teachers.

Then came the war, when merchants, lawyers, teachers
and doctors gave up their business and volunteered in

History of Marlboro County, 177

defense of their country and a principle they held dear.
The farmers left their homes and firesides in the care of
their wives and servants, and, side by side with the pro-
fessional man, bravely battled for a cause they thought
was just. A few old men and the women, children and
servants were left in charge of the town. The war closed,
and brave men came home. Alas ! many returned not,
to face demoralization, desolation and poverty. They
courageously took up the burden of life again, and with
no capital save brains and pluck, began the battle against
poverty; and the battle has been successful. To-day Ben-
nettsville bears no resemblance to the town of thirty
years ago. She has lengthened her cords and spread out
east, south and west; new streets have been opened, houses
built, and either east or west Bennettsville has more in-
habitants now than the whole town had in 1866. What
changes have taken place in thirty years! There are six
houses in the center of the town that have not changed
location or in appearance since 1866. The jail. Masonic
Hall. Presbyterian church, and the dwellings of Throop
Crosland, Douglas Jennings and J. G. W. Cobb have the
same appearance as they did thirty years ago. The dwell-
ings of F. M. Emanuel, A. E. Bristow, the Cook residence
and the C. W. Dudley place have not changed. Every-
thing else is new or has been so changed and remodeled
as to look new. Where dilapidated stores, shops and
small offices stood around the public square, handsome
brick stores and elegant blocks of brick buildings now
stand. Handsome residences now thickly dot the ground
upon which crops of cotton and corn were cultivated.
Besides the erection of handsome stores and beautiful
residences, other and marked improvements have been
made. The merchants no longer haul freight to and from
Society Hill and Gardner's Bluff. Bennettsville is now
in communication with the outside world. Two railway
lines offer transportation for freight and passage north

178 History of Marlboro County,

and south. Cotton is sold to the local buyer, who ships
it by rail, and pays for it with a check on the Bank of
Marlboro. Fine graded schools, for both white and col-
ored children, having good buildings and a full corps of
experienced teachers, are in full blast, and may be said to
be the pride of the town. Good churches, good schools,
good stores and dwellings, and good people make a good
town; and Bennettsville, having all these good things, is a
good town. In Bennettsville fortunes have been made
and successes won. What has been hiay be, and those
who are toiling for success in their calling must toil on
hoping and working for success.

Since the close of the war in April, 1865, the town of
Bennettsville, which was partly burned by Sherman's
soldiers, has enjoyed a steady growth. The leading mer-
chants have been James B. Breeden, Wm. Murchison,
John D. Murchison, Capt. P. L. Breeden, C. S. McCall,
A. J. Rowe, J. N. Weatherly, C. M. Weatherly, J. M. Jack-
son, Rowe Bros., Simon Strauss, H. W. Carroll and R. Lee
Kirkwood. Others are doing business on a smaller scale.
All above named have succeeded and most of them re-
markably well. Perhaps in no town of its size in South
Carolina have so many substantial fortunes, in the space
of thirty years, been accumulated by merchants as in Ben-
nettsville; and this not by speculation, but by straight-
forward methods. In the forefront of those who have
amassed property in this lineof business are J. B. Breeden,
Wm. Murchison, John D. Murchison, who died, leaving
large estates, and Capt. P. L. Breeden and C. S. McCall,
still living. The first has retired from mercantile life and
devotes himself to planting on a large scale, whilst Mc-
Call still successfully conducts a large mercantile as well
as large planting business with marked success in both.
He is the largest holder of real estate in the town. It is
a noteworthy fact that all these successful men were farm-
ers' sons and began life with little or no capital. They

History of Marlboro County. 179

have been the architects of their own fortunes. The same
may be said, of D D. McCoU, president of the Bank of
Marlboro, who, though not a merchant, has, by strict at-
tention to business, professional and financial, kept apace
with the foremost of them in the accumulation of wealth.
With much satisfaction it is to be remarked that the places
of these veterans in mercantile and financial affairs will be
taken by worthy young men who are making headway in
business, and will maintain the steady and wholesome
growth of the town.

Some few family names of the original first settlers of
Bennettsville are yet to be found in the town or immedi-
ate vicinity. Joel Emanuel, the grandfather of the
Messrs. W. P., P. C. and Joel Emanuel and P. A. Hodges
lived first at the "old court-house," and when Bennetts-
ville was founded, moved to the new county seat and for
a number of years lived in the town and was engaged in
the mercantile business, and afterwards lived on his farm
north of the town, where he died a number of years ago.
He was the brother of Simon Emanuel, of Brownsville,
who was the father of Mrs. A. E. Bristow. The grand-
parents of T. E. Dudley also lived at the *'old court-
house,*' and followed on after the new court-house. Mrs.
Dudley was the first person to undertake the hotel busi-
ness in Bennettsville. Samuel Sparks lived at the "old
court-house," but never resided in Bennettsville. He was
the father of the late Capt. Alex D. Sparks, whose widow
lives near Blenheim. Mrs. Keitt, the daughter of Samuel
Sparks, married Lawrence M. Keitt, who represented the
State in the provisional Confederate Congress which
met at Montgomery, Alabama, February 4th, 1861.

The names now found in Bennettsville that were here
at, or very soon after the town was founded, are the Eman-
uels named, the Dudleys, Croslands, Bristows, Cooks and
Mrs. Miller. There may be others or descendants of oth-
ers, but they are not remembered, except in the descend-

i8o History of Marlboro County,

ants of Hartwell Ayer, in the children of the late John
HarroU, and the descendants of Nathan B. Thomas, in
H. P. Johnson and children, and Hope Newton, Jr.

In the preparation of this chapter the writer had access
to a file of old papers kindly furnished him by Editor S.
A. Brown,containinga "History of Bennettsville," written
by the late Col. C. W. Dudley when he was the editor of
the paper.

CHAPTER XXVII.
Brightsville.

Brightsville, one of the upper townships in Marlboro,
takes its name from Chas. Bright, who was the maternal
grandfather of the late E. W. Goodwin. Mr. Bright emi-
grated to this county from Granville County, North Car-
olina, in the year 1796. "It is thought he was a Revolu-
tionary soldier. He was filled with the true spirit of
patriotism and ardent love of country which characteriz-
ed the men of his day." Mr. Bright was married when
he came to Marlboro, having a wife and five children.
He first settled on Crooked Creek, near Bruton's Fork
Church, then lived awhile on the stage road, near where
Jackson Stubbs now lives, and in 1827 moved to what is
now known as Goodwin's Mill. He purchased the mill and
a large body of land from Drury Robertson in 1808. He
was a man of indomitable energy. When he reached the
place now bearing his name he had little or no money.
When he died in 1830, at the advanced age of seventy
years, he was the owner of thousands of acres of land and
more than fifty slaves. Samuel Goodwin, the father of
E. W. Goodwin, married the daughter of Chas. Bright.
E. W. Goodwin, like his grandfather, was a man of great
energy and perseverance. In addition to his mill and
large farming interests, he successfully conducted a large
mercantile business, arid amassed a considerable fortune
He died a few years ago lamented, respected and loved
by all who knew him. He represented the county in the
Secession Convention.

Seventy years ago people did not board a train at their
doors and travel at the rate of forty miles per hour. Rail-
road travel was then unknown and unthought of. Trans-

1 82 History of Marlboro Couiity,

portation from place to place was by means of stage coaches
drawn by horses. The stage line from New Orleans to
New York used to pass through this county, and the road
from Cheraw to Laurel Hill, by Goodwin's Mill, was a
part of the route. About fifty years ago some railroads
had been built, but a gap from Camden, South Carolina,
to Warsaw, North Carolina, had still to be traveled by
stage; and thus it is seen that the **stage road" had some
importance attached to it at that day, and doubtless
Charles Bright thought himself lucky in making a pur-
chase of land lying alongside the "stage road." The
stage road was established here about 1822, having been
moved from the road running through Adamsville.

Soon after the Revolutionary War two Odom brothers
came to Marlboro from Virginia, James and Sion. The
former settled on the place where a grandson, H. K-
Odom, now lives, and was the father of a large family.
The descendants of this old man are found in various
parts of the county, while a goodly number yet remain
in the old neighborhood. James, Theophilus, William,
Daniel, Abram, Godfrey, Tristram and John, were the
sons of the first James, all of whom (Tristram being the
last, who died in 1896) have gone to the grave. Chloe,
the daughter of James, married Tandy Vance and moved
to Missouri; Nancy married Isham Turner, lived first in
North Carolina and moved thence to Missouri; Betsy
married Allen Wicker, lived first in North Carolina and
moved to Marlboro; Jennie first married a man named
Smith, and then married Barnabas Wallace, and became
the mother of Stephen Wallace, Col. John W., Dr. Mur-
ray C, Evander and William. Her daughters, Matilda
and Mary, married B. F. and James Parrott, in Darlington;
Lizzie married Peter Bowyer; Miranda, Duncan Barentine,
and Martha married Cornelius D. Newton. All the Wal-
lace name above mentioned are dead except William, who
lives in Camden.

History of Marlboro County. 183

Sion Odom settled near the stage road, not far from
where Durant Odom, a grandson, now lives. From him
is descended a numerous progeny through Philip, Sion
and Sam, as well as others of other names. Many of the
respected citizens of the Brightsville and Smithville town-
ships have in their veins the blood of one or the other of
these old patriarchs. Another of the name who also
came from Virginia, after he was discharged from service
in the patriot army, seems to have settled first in Marion
County and if he did not come himself to Marlboro, his,
sons, it is said, did come; and one of these married Miss
Dorcas Stubbs and left a daughter, who became the first
wife of the late S. J. Strickland.

Another prominent member of these pioneer settlers in
Brightsville was Herbert Smith, the father of Dr. T. C.
Smith, Frank Smith; Miss Betsy Smith, Mrs. Ann Adams
and Mrs. S. J. Adams, of Bennettsville. He first settled
on the stage road near where D. D. Stubbs now lives.
He was born in 1790, lived at that place only a few years,
when he exchanged places with Handy Stanton and
moved to the old Telegraph Road, where he resided for
sixty-five years. He died in 1883 at the advanced age of 93.

Joel Hall was born in Chesterfield County, South Caro-
lina, in 1807. His father moved from Chesterfield in his
latter years, and settled just across the State line not more
than two miles from the home of Joel Hall. On Decem-
ber 1, 1833, he married Esther Steen. They had seven chil-
dren, all are now dead except three sons. His wife died in
1874, and his son, John, was killed the same year by
lightning. Mr. Hall died only a year or two ago, approach-
ing 90 years of age. In the year 1836, as told by Mr. Hall,
a wagoner from the up-country brought a case of small-
pox into that section and died at Bennie Quick's, and
was buried near by. The sign of his lonely grave, a few
years ago, was yet visible. He was nursed principally by
Herbert and William Smith and William Hall, the father

1 84 History of Marlboro County,

of Joel Hall. **The awful disease spread rapidly in the
Sand Hills ; there were some sixty-five cases, but, strange to
say, not more than five or six deaths." Mr. Hall could
remember when not more than four or five bales of cot-
ton were made in that entire Sand Hill country: now a
public gin turns out four or five hundred bales annually.
As a rule the people did not work much in his young days.
What a change from the old to the new!

Among the first settlers in the Brightsville section may
be mentioned Barney Wallace, who lived and reared a
large family on Crooked Creek, near where T. P. Stubbs
now lives. Thomas Harrington settled and lived one mile
north of Boykin Church, where his son Goodwin lives.
Younger Newton, the grandfather of Ira Newton, lived
on the same plantation now owned by Ira. John Stubbs,
the father of Jackson, Alexander and the late John W.,
lived where Gus O'Tuall now lives, the home of A. J.
Stanton, the old Tax Collector of Marlboro County.

Bishop Gregg, in his"History of the Old Cheraws,*' men-
tions the name of John Stubbs, and says of him "that in
November, 1753, he took up a grant of land on Catfiish
Creek in Marion, and was doubtless the ancestor of the
large connection of that name in Marlboro." John had a
brother named William, for Mr. William F. Stubbs, of An-
son County, North Carolina, who is now entering his 92d
year, says: "My grandfather informed me that his father,
John or William, came from England before the Revolu-
tionary War and settled in Marlboro County," and further
says, "He was a small man, a weaver by trade, and mar-
ried Miss Rebecca Conner, a very large lady, who became
the mother of five sons; Lewis, James, Thomas, William,
John and doubtless also Peter. Of these, Lewis, the first
mentioned, settled where Mrs. Mastin Stubbs now lives,
and was the father of Rev. Campbell Stubbs, John J. and
Lewis E.; James settled where B. I. Liles now lives and
was the father of John, David, Alexander and Silas.

History of Marlboro County. 185

Jackson and the late John W. were the sons of this John
and grandsons of James. The daughters of James were
Elizabeth, who married Holden Liles, and became the
mother of Jas. S., B. I. and Joseph R. Liles; and Mrs. Pear-
son, Mrs, John M. Miller, and Celia, who married George
Bristow, the father of Capt. A. E. Bristow, of Bennetts-
ville; Thomas, the third brother above mentioned, settled
where the late Wm. Webster lived. His sons were Benja-
min, Thomas, and John. Of his daughters, Lucy married
E. W. Goodwin, as elsewhere stated; Rebecca married
Peter Hubbard and moved to Mississippi; Feribe married
Wm. Hubbard. William, the fourth brother, settled on
what has been known as the Brazier place, on the Cheraw
road. His sons were James (called **Big Jim"), Peter and
William F. This William F. Stubbs, already mentioned
as being 92 years of age, says **his mother moved to Marl-
boro County in 1823, and that he was present at the first
term of court that was held at Bennettsville, the spring
term of 1824." He was then 19 years of age. He left the
county and moved to his present home, McFarland,
North Carolina, in 1855. ^'^ grandfather was a Revolu-
tionary patriot.

It is proper to follow the Stubbs family with a sketch
of the Moore family; for they are descendants on the
mother's side, from them. Benjamin Moore, Sr., son of
James and Drucilla Moore, was born in Richmond County,
North Carolina, in 1769. He was orphaned at an early
age, and came to Marlboro in his early manhood.
His wife was P'rancis Stubbs, the daughter of Wm. Stubbs
and Elizabeth Hubbard. In the year 1816 he purchased
the farm upon which J. Alexander W. Moore lives, paying
$1.94 per acre, which he thought was a high price for the
land. It was bought of Major Drury Robertson, who
owned a territory of land reaching from Goodwin's Mill
to Pipkin's Mill. The Major valued the land princi-
pally on account of the virgin timber, which was then

i86 History of Marlboro County,

found in unbroken profusion, and perhaps inserted a tim-
ber reservation clause in some of the deeds. The grand-
sons of Benjamin Moore, Sr., value the land because from
it they produce a bale of cotton per acre and provision
crops in like proportion.

Benjamin Moore, Sr., died in 1846 and left a large family
of sons and daughters. Rebecca Moore, his daughter,
married Rev. Pleasant Brazier and moved to Alabama
before the late war. Drucilla married Wm. Odom and
settled in Tennessee; Nancy Moore married Abram Odom;
Catharine was the wife of Theophilus Odom ; Mary
Moore married Wm. Eastefling and settled in Mis-
sissippi, and Parmilia Moore was the wife of the late
Stephen Wallace, father of Thos. G. and Barney Wallace.

William Moore, the eldest son of Benjamin, married
Mary Adams and settled in Adamsville. The sons of
William Moore were Thomas B., John R., B. F., and W.
A.; Mrs. Davis an only daughter, who, after Rev. Mr.
Davis death, married Capt. E. L. Pearce. James Moore
first married Widow Jones, a daughter of the late Henry
Easterling, and after her death married Sarah, daughter
of Samuel Bethea, of Marion County. James Moore, of
Latta, is the fruit of that marriage. Alfred Y. Moore
married Mary A. Jones, daughter of Rev. John Jones.
His second wife was Elizabeth, the daughter of Philip
Odom. Mr. Moore yet lives and is an active man, con-
sidering he carries the weight of four-score years. Benja-
min Moore married Mintie Easterling, and A. W. Moore,
lately deceased, was the son by this marriage. His second
wife was Elizabeth Pearson, daughter of the late John
Pearson, who is the mother of the Messrs. B. E., P. B.
and Carey Moore, and who, after the death of Mr.
Moore married Willis Turlington. Duncan W. Moore,
youngest son of Benjamin Moore, Sr., was born No-
vember 25, 1819. He married Martha Spears, the daughter
of James Spears and Deborah Bethea. The four sons.

History of Marlboro County, 187

M. A. J., J. D., C. F., and J. Alex., live at or near by
the spot where their father was born and died, and where
their grandfather lived and died. Mrs. Frank B. Gibson,
of Gibson, North Carolina, and Mrs. E. W. Goodwin, Jr., are
daughters of Duncan W. Moore. He was a man of large
frame and large heart, and was known far and near as an
industrious, successful farmer. Wherever known the
Moores are noted as careful, thrifty, money- making farm-
ers, and honest, law-abiding citizens.

North of the "old stage road" and two miles from
Goodwin's Mills, lived A. C. Mclnnis. He was born on
the Isle of Jura, Scotland, in 1816. His father, Angus,
came to America in 1820; Mr. Mclnnis was then only
four years old, but his recollection of the voyage across
the water and the landing on the friendly shores of
the New World was perfect and fresh. They intended
landing at New York, but adverse winds drove them
further north and the landing was made on the coast of
Canada. The sail vessels of that day could not success-
fully buffet the winds and waves, as do the monster iron
steamers of the present, and the voyage was long and
tedious. Mr. Mclnnis had been taught to *'believe that
Satan was black, which he firmly believed." When the
vessel anchored and the health officer came aboard, he
brought his servant, a negro man, with him Mr. Mclnnis
and a crowd of boys were upon the deck, and when
they saw the negro coming on deck they thought he
was the devil sure enough, and all hands incontinently
cleared the deck and fled below. Mr. Mclnnis* parents
settled in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and he
came to Marlboro in 1833 and located at Parnassus, re-
maining there six years in business with Meekin Town-
send, the father of Judge C. P. Townsend, for whom he
cherished the most tender feelings of friendship and grati-
tude. He then moved to Bennettsville, where he lived
eighteen years, engaged in the carriage-making business.

1 88 History, of Marlboro County.

As already told in a previous chapter, he married Miss
Flora McCall in 1844. S. J., James A., and Archie, now
in Mississippi, were of this marriage. After leaving Ben-
nettsville he lived near "the burnt factory,'* and in 1866
removed to Brightsville. Mr. Mclnnis was trial justice
for a number of years, and, with the exception of a few
years, .had been a magistrate since 1852 and hence he
was entitled to be called "Squire" Mclnnis. He was an
honorable, intelligent Christian gentleman.

We have been writing about Brightsville and some of
the Brightsville families, but we will step across the "old
stage road," and enter Adamsville township, and not quite
a mile south from Boykin Church is where the late Capt.
Thomas W. Huckabee lived and died. He died only a
very few years ago, having reached four-score years. He
died where his father settled soon after the Revolutionary
War, having never lived anywhere else. . He was the son
of Thomas Huckabee, who was a soldier in the Revolu-
tionary War, and served under General Francis Marion.
His father was a Virginian by birth, and married Nancy
McCall, a native of Scotland, she having come to Ameri-
ca in 1790, at the age of eighteen. Captain Huckabee
was born in 181 1, and had a brother, Allen, who moved
West in 1854 and died in Arkansas in 1881. Captain
Huckabee was a soldier in the Florida War against the
unfriendly Seminole Indians. He served under General
W. W, Harllee and Captain James W. Blakeny. He as-
sisted in the erection of Fort Harllee, and was away from
home several months. They were disbanded April, 1837.
He arrived at home in May, having walked all the way
from Charleston. During the first year of the war between
the States he was elected Captain of the "Home Guards*
and thus obtained the title of Captain.

He was undemonstrative and quiet, yet true as steel.
He never sought public notoriety, but might have filled
any position acceptably. He taught school for quite a

History of Marlboro County. 189

number of years, and spared not the rod to the injury of
the student.

Capt. Huckabee first married Penelope Pate, youngest
sister of Willis Pate, of Clio. Only one child was born to
this marriage, who is the wife of Mr. Tally Huckabee.
His second wife was Mrs. Fannie Covington, who was the
widow of Noah Covington. A son, Thomas, and two
daughters, all grown, are the fruit of this marriage.

A file of papers furnished by J. P. Gibson made it pos-
sible for tTie writer to complete this chapter.

CHAPTER XXVIIL.
Blenheim.

On August 13, 1704, the celebrated battle of Blenheim
was won by the Duke of Marlborough. This signal de-
feat proved fatal to the plans of Louis XIV. of France^
for the French and Bavarian army was almost annihilated
in the battle. The Duke of Marlborough, the hero of a
hundred battles, was rewarded by his King for the suc-
cessful issue of the struggle. The manor and honor of
Woodstock were conferred on him by the King, and the
Queen ordered that a palace should there be built, to be
called Blenheim, and there to-day in Blenheim Castle
resides the young Duke of Marlborough, who a year or
so ago, came to this country and persuaded (?) an Amer-
ican girl to return with him and act in the capacity of
Lady Marlborough.

Blenheim, a little town lying seven miles south from
Bennettsville, was named in honor of the battle of Blen-
heim, or more properly speaking of the castle of Blenheim.
The late Donald Matheson saw the propriety of so
naming it, and suggested the name. He doubtless often
wondered why the county seat of Marlboro should have
been called Bennettsville, instead of Blenheim, and when
the opportunity arose for having a Blenheim in Marlboro,,
he gladly embraced it. Mr. Matheson was born in Alla-
dale, Ross-shire, Scotland, July 19, 18 10, and landed in
this country at Charleston, November 29, 1825. He re-
mained there two years or more, spent a year in Sumter,,
went from there to Marion, and from Marion came to
Marlboro. For a while he taught school, both in the
Brownsville and Parnassus neighborhoods; and for a few
years was employed as a salesman by the Messrs.^Town-

History of Marlboro County, 191

send near Parnassus, and afterwards by John McCollum
at Bennettsville. He married Miss Margaret McLeod,
and settled first in Brownsville, but in a few years moved
to the place of his late residence near Blenheim. His
death occurred a few years ago. He was an intelligent,
cultured gentleman, and good blood coursed in his veins.

For fifty years or more there has been a settlement at
Blenheim. Several wealthy planters who owned planta-
tions near the river, built summer houses at Mineral
Spring, or Spring Hill (called by both names), where
they resided during the summer months. It being unheal-
thy on the river in the summer, they annually moved out
to the Spring for the double purpose of finding a healthy
locality and good cold water. Gen. John McQueen, Dr.
Alexander McLeod, Samuel Sparks, and B. N. Rogers,,
with their families, during the summer months, together
with the people Kvin^g near by, made quite a pleasant,,
intelligent little community in the years long gone by..
The old people who formed that ante-bellum settlement
have all passed away, but their descendants and others^
have come upon the ground, opened streets, built houses,,
and now have the town of Blenheim upon the maps.
The Mineral Spring, the pride of the town, was discovered
by James Spears, Sr., in the year 1781.

A. J. Matheson, the merchant prince of the town, is at
son of Donald Matheson mentioned above.

By indomitable energy and close attention to busi-
ness, he has, while yet comparatively a young man,
amassed quite a snug fortune. He is the largest owner
of real estate in the county, and plants a larger num-
ber of acres in cotton, and makes more bales than
any man in the county. He also devotes a large share
of his time and attention to mercantile pursuits, and has
been more largely instrumental in building up the town
of Blenheim than any other person. He was the pioneer
merchant of the place, and perhaps **builded better than.

192 History of Marlboro County,

he knew," when he established the first store there at the
Cross-roads.

The late F. B. Rogers shrewdly suspected that Blen-
heim would by a great point for trade, and built a store
on another corner of the cross, and bought the farm of
Geo. Dudley lying adjacent, as well as quite a number of
other farms in the community. Blenheim is a city of par-
sonages, three being located there, so that preachers
sometimes know how to appreciate a good thing when
they see it.

Forty years ago, living in the locality of Blenheim, and
on both sides of the creek, were a class of honest, honor-
able, intelligent and industrious men, who did not cringe
and beg the world for a living, but by hard and well-di-
rected licks made their own living. The McRaes, Jack
and Philip; James Spears, and Light Townsend, the father
of John R., Mrs. T. E. Dudley, Mrs. John Irby, and Mrs.
W. F. Kinney, knew how to make money by farming.
Major Drake, on some of his broad acres, may have given
his son, Z. J. Drake, valuable lessons in making corn,
which he used to advantage in his successful race against
the world a few years ago. The Major may not have
thought it possible to make 250 bushels per acre, but he
doubtless made enough to keep his mules, sheep, hogs
and negroes all fat, and a surplus to sell besides. Daniel
John taught his sons the possibilities of the Marlboro
soil, and they yet know how to make big crops of big po-
tatoes, heavy corn and heavy hogs, and plenty of cotton
as a surplus crop.

CHAPTER XXIX.
The Confederate War.

South Carolina seceded from the union of States by-
unanimous vote of a convention held in Charleston, De-
cember 20, i860. It is too late to discuss the issues
involved or to recount the various causes which led up to
such action on the part of the State. It is sufficient to say
that heated and partisan discussions in Congress, having
a strong sectional flavor, on States* rights and constitu-
tional limitations, aggravated and intensified by the slav-
ery agitation, if not the cause, had much to do with bring-
ing it to pass. Marlboro was represented in that Secession
Convention by Wm. D. Johnson, Dr. A. McLeod and ¥.,
W. Goodwin, whose* actions, with very few exceptions,
were endorsed by the people.

Early in the year 1861 the whole Southland was astir
with preparation for the inevitable. One thought filled
every mind "from rosy morn till dewy eve"; that thought
was ever present. The peaceful slumber of the night was
disturbed by dreams of that waking thought. That thought
was dark, grim-visaged war. Volunteer companies were
formed of the flower and strength of the land. From hill-
top and valley, from mountain to the sea, men of all classes
were enlisting and tendering their services to the State.
Our people thought themselves right and fought with as
true valor and as pure patriotism as men ever did. The
men of Marlboro did their duty nobly in the contest.
Before the war Marlboro had an organized regiment of
militia of eight small companies, and a voting population
of twelve or thirteen hundred, and yet furnished to the
Confederate army eight full companies, not including the
reseryes. After the lapse of more than a quarter of a cen-

194 History of Marlboro County,

tury, the survivors of the war are known from other men
of like age by the empty sleeve or artificial limb or faded
cheek, and not by their abandoned habits and dissipation,
for they have not been less law abiding or more turbulent
or violent than others in like circumstances of trial, nor
have they been outstripped in the struggle for material
prosperity. It is not the smouldering embers of the flame
which so raged in every bosom and made good soldiers of
the men who fought that has sometimes given the pref-
erence in civil affairs to the scarred veteran, but because
the warrior bore himself as a man upon the field, andxame
out of the strife unharmed, and with steady aim in peace
as in war, has stood for the right, and shown himself
worthy of the confidence and suffrages of his fellows.
Whether the fighting qualities of the soldiers Marlboro
furnished to the ranks will bear a favorable comparison
with other troops, it may not be proper here to say; but
that their morals, industry, integrity, attention to busi-
ness and honorable success in life's struggle since the
war, can bear the test of comparison with other classes,
can truthfully be said. The country has honored them,
kind Providence has smiled upon them, their business has
prospered, their plans have succeeded and to-day they
could walk arm in arm over the battlefields with the men
they fought, and breathe no curse and harbor no dis-
loyalty. Let not the character and deeds of those who
fought the battles and endured the hardships of the war,
be misunderstood by the generations yet to come. Let
it be remembered that it was a pure devotion to their
country's call that caused them to buckle their armor on
and take the field. Their convictions of duty were as
honest as were those of our Revolutionary sires, and they
braved danger and death for their country's sake. They
died daring to stand against tremendous odds, because in
their heart of hearts they felt that duty called them there.
Let the children and children's childen of the Confederate

History of Marlboro County. 195

soldiers of Marlboro remember that their sires fought and
died for a principle they held dear. Let not the poets,
orators, and authors of the land of the victors, in record-
ing the glories of the victors, forget to do justice to the
vanquished. Let them not make the impression upon
our posterity that our fathers made a traitorous and dis-
honorable assault upon the principles of free government,
virtue and right.

The following pages will give the names of the officers
and privates who went from Marlboro to the Confederate
War. Through the kindness of officers and men who
wore the gray we are enabled to publish a full list of all
the commands that went to the field of strife from Marl-
boro. A number of men have come into the county from
other States whose names will not appear, but who hon-
orably did their duty in other commands from other States.

Special thanks are due T. E. Dudley, B. A. Rogers, A.
E. Bristow, C. D. Easterling, John A. Calhoun, P. L.
Breeden, T. F. McRae, C. S. McCall, Mrs. Sparks and
others.

Company **G," 8th Regiment, South Carolina Volun-
teers. Entered Service in April, 1861.

Captain, John W. Harrington. Retired May, 1862.
Wounded Manassas. Died 1884.

1st Lieutenant, Chas. P. Townsend. Elected captain May,
1862. Wounded Malvern Hill. Alive.

2d Lieutenant, John R. Parker. Elected ist lieutenant
May, 1862. Wounded Fredericksburg, Knoxville, Get-
tysburg. Captain at close of war. AJive.

2d Brevet, C. M. Weatherly. Elected adjutant May,
1862. Wounded at Sharpsburg, Berry ville, Knoxville.
Alive.

1st Sergeant, T. E. Dudley. Sergeant-major, November,
1861. Promoted Captain, October, 1862. Alive.

2d Sergeant, Isaac B, Lester. Died Chancellorsville,
April, 1862,

196 History of Marlboro County.

3d Sergeant, Jno. T. Murdoch. Sergeant-major May,.
1862. Discharged. Died April, 1865.

4th Sergeant, Leggett Odom. Died Richmond, Septem-
ber, 1 86 1.

5th Sergeant, Wm. A. Crosland. Discharged May, 1862.
Alive.

1st Corporal, Thos. Easterling. Wounded Savage Sta-
tion. Died 1878.

2d Corporal, Henry E. Townsend. Died Richmond 1862.

3d Corporal, Jno. R. Cook. Wounded at Williamsburg.
Alive.

4th Corporal, R. J. Tatum. Appointed wagon master 1862.
Alive.

5th Corporal, O. H. Gillespie. Transferred to Medical
Corps. Died 1882.

6th Corporal, Hugh J. Douglas. Elected 2d Lieutenant.
Killed at Cedar Run.

Privates.

1 Adams, Elijah, appointed color-sergeant, killed Get-
tysburg.

2 Adams, Harris, appointed second lieutenant, killed
Gettysburg.

3 Adams, John Tyler, wounded Williamsburg, died 1871.

4 Andrews, Stephen D., discharged 1861, died 1871.

5 Bristow, Chesley D., assigned to quartermaster de-
partment; living.

6 Bristow, Edmund D., discharged April, 1862.

7 Bullard, Henry, living.

8 Bundy, Wm., discharged 1864.

9 Butler, Wm., died 1863.

10 Butler, Elijah, died 1886.

11 Campbell, J., lost sight of.

12 Caulk, Daniel, transferred to cavalry 1862; dead.

13 Cook, Thomas, A. M., wounded Manassas; died 1876,

14 Coward, Louis M., transferred to 4th Cavalry; died in
hospital 1862.

15 Crosland, Samuel, died Lynchburg 1861.

16 Connor, Robt. T. D., transferred to 4th Cavalry; died
in hospital 1862.

17 Cooper^ Wm. C, died since war.

18 Cooper, Vernon H., wounded Fredericksburg; died
Richmond.

History of Marlboro County. igy

19 David, Ephraim C, wounded Gettysburg; living.

20 David, Robt. J., wounded Fredericksburg; died at
Richmond.

21 David, Joseph H., wounded Chattanooga; liviitg.

22 David, Aiken L., living in Alabama.

23 Dudley, James, promoted second lieutenant 1864;:
drowned 1868.

24 Driggers. Jesse, killed.

25 Driggers, Jesse G., living.

26 Easterling, Alfred R., died Richmond 1862.

27 Easterling, Robt. C, transferred to 6th Regiment
South Carolina Volunteers 1862; alive.

28 Easterling, Josiah K., killed at Gettysburg 1863.

29 Easterling, Wm. T., living.

30 Easterling, Elijah, wounded Gettysburg, Wilderness,.
Deep Bottom; alive.

31 Edens, Thos. W., discharged i86i;died 1895.

32 Emanuel, Chas. L., transferred 1862; dead.

33 Fletcher, Joshua D., wounded Fredericksburg, trans-
ferred to cavalry; alive.

34 Gibson, Wm. L., died Richmond 1861.

35 Gillespie, Samuel, discharged i86i; died at home.

36 Grant, Jno. S., died 1872.

37 Graham, Henry C, died 1862.

38 Harvel, John, wounded Gettysburg, Fredericksburg;
killed Chickamauga.

39 Henagan, Jas. M., appointed quartermaster 1862;-
alive in Alabama.

40 Heyward, Isham, transferred to 21st Regiment South.
Carolina Volunteers and killed.

41 Hinson, John B., appointed sergeant-major 1863,.
wounded Sharpsburg and Fredericksburg; alive.

42 Hinson, Philip H., transferred 1863, wounded Chicka-
mauga and Atlanta.

43 Hambrick, Amos, survived the war; lost sight of.

44 Huckabee, John J., wounded Fredericksburg; alive

45 Irby, Wm. W., wounded Williamsburg; alive.

46 Jones, James H., died 1895.

47 Jackson, James A. L., wounded at Fredericksburg;
died 1884.

48 Jackson, Enos, wounded Savage Station; died 1864.-

49 Johnson, Neill D., died in Virginia 1862.

igS History of Marlboro County,

50 Johnson, Hugh T., transferred to cavalry 1862; lost to
sight.

51 Johnson, Daniel, died 1861.

52 Lavinger, Geo. W., wounded Gettysburg; living.

53 Long, Henry A., transferred to 4th Cavalry, wounded
Manassas; dead.

54 Liles, Joseph R., discharged; alive.

55 Lavinger, Daniel, discharged.

56 Miller, John M., appointed ist sergeant, lost leg
Chickamauga; alive.

56 Miller, Henry, wounded Knoxville, lost leg; dead.

58 Munnerlyn, Chas. T., elected lieutenant 1862, wound-
ed Fredericksburg; dead.

59 McCollum, Jno. H., appointed 2d sergeant 1863, ist
sergeant 1864; alive.

60 Mcintosh, Nicholas H., discharged 1861; dead.

61 Mcintosh, Alex., wounded Malvern Hill; killed Get-
tysburg.

62 McQueen, John^ wounded Gettysburg; living.

63 Mclnnis, Simeon J., wounded Cold Harbor; alive.

64 McKenzie, Alex., living.

66 Odom, Josiah, transferred to 6th Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers; dead.

66 Odom, Sion W., transferred to 24th Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers; dead.

67 Odom, Philip W., transferred to 24th Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers; dead.

68 Parker, Harrison, died 1868.

69 Prince, Jno. T., wounded Fredericksburg; living.

70 Potter, Solomon, transferred to cavalry; lost sight of.

71 Privatt, Evander, wounded Malvern Hill; killed
Chickamauga.

72 Pearson, Robt. C, died 1863.

73 Roscoe, John, living.

74 Roscoe, Geo. W., living.

75 Rowe, Joseph H., transferred to 24th South Carolina
Volunteers; killed.

76 Rountree, Moses, alive.

J^ Skipper, Josiah, lost to sight.

78 Sneed, Israel, wounded Maryland Heights; living.

79 Stanton, Noah, transferred to 24th Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers; killed Franklin.

v8o Stanton, John A., killed Petersburg 1864.

History of Marlboro County, 199

:8i Stanton, Milton, transferred to 24th Regiment, living.

-82 Southerland, Thos. A., transferred to medical depart-
ment; dead.

-83 Thomas, Carey J., discharged 1861; alive.

84 Thomas, Joseph M., wounded twice at Petersburg;
living.

-35 Thomas, Robt. D., died 1882.

86 Thornwell, Chas. A., killed at Deep Bottom.

-87 Williams, David, wounded Williamsburg; alive.

88 Wright, Daniel G., died Richmond 1863.

89 Wright, Ellerbe, died Lynchburg 1863.

90 Wright, Geo. W., living.

91 Webster, Henry D., wounded Knoxville; alive.

92 Webster, Thos. M., alive.

93 Webster, Chas. T., wounded Petersburg; alive.

94 Webster, Hartwell, wounded Maryland Heights; died
1863.

Killed in battle, 13; died during war, 22; wounded, 37; dis-
charged, 11; transferred, 17; retired. 3; died since
war, 17; lost sight of, 6; living 49.

Company "K," 8th Regiment, South Carolina Volun-
teers. Entered the Service in April, 1861.

John W. Henagan, major 8th Regiment, promoted colonel;

killed in battle.
D. M. D. McLeod, captain, promoted major 8th Regiment

May, 1862, wounded Gettysburg; died, July, 1863.
Frank Manning, captain, promoted from 2d sergeant to

lieutenant 1861; captain 1862, wounded and lost an

arm Maryland Heights; alive.
B. A. Rogers, captain ; promoted from ranks to lieutenant,

1862; captain, 1864; wounded Gettysburg and Deep

Bottom; alive.
F. Sarius McQueen, ist lieutenant; promoted to captain

in regular service in 1861; dead.
John D. McLucas, ist lieutenant, promoted from ranks to

lieutenant 1862; alive.
George R. Hearsey, 2d lieutenant; resigned June, 1861;

dead,
^m. T. Rogers, 2d lieutenant; promoted lieutenant May,

1862; wounded at Gettysburg and Fredericksburg;

dead.

2CX) History of Marlboro County,

John A. Peterkin, 3d lieutenant, died of disease in Vir-
ginia.
Jas. M. Alford, 3d lieutenant; promoted lieutenant 1861;

resigned 1861; dead.
John J. McQuage, ist sergeant; promoted regimental

color-bearer 1861; alive.
John W. Smith, ist sergeant; detached service Winder

hospital; alive.
M. M. Alford, ist sergeant; wounded Knoxville, captured

and died in prison.
Hugh B. McCall, ist sergeant; wounded at Maryland

Heights, captured and died.
Eli Willis, 1st sergeant; severely wounded Cold Harbor;

alive.
Frank McRae, sergeant, wounded Cedar Mountain; died

in Virginia.
Hugh McLucas, 2d sergeant; wounded Gettysburg, 1863^

and died.
Cameron McKinnon, 2d sergeant; living.
John Gunter, 3d sergeant; wounded Knoxville; alive.
John C. Calhoun, 3d sergeant; dead.
Lauchlin A. McLaurin, 4th sergeant; died since ^yar.
Crawford McCall,ist corporal ;killed Gettysburg July, 1863.
Nathan T. Alford, 2d corporal; wounded Wilderness;

alive.
Daniel Hargrove, 3d corporal; wounded Gettysburg 1863;

living.
Joseph D. Bruce, 4th corporal; living.

Privates.

1 Allen, Elmore, discharged 1861; living.

2 Barrington, Harris, discharged i86i;died since war*

3 Bruce, Thomas, dead.

4 Beverly, W. R , discharged 1861; dead.

5 Cottingham, Chas, died at home 1861.

6 Crowley, Robt. C, discharged 1862; dead.

7 Cope, Thomas, discharged I862; living.

8 Covington, Eli T., joined company 1865; living.

9 Curtin, , dead.

10 Clark, Joseph, dead.

11 Crowley, Wm., substitute for C. M. McRae; dead.

12 Covington, Jas. T., discharged 1861; living.

History of Marlboro County. 201

13 Drake, Ancil, died Warrenton, Virginia, during war.

14 Davis, Columbus, died in prison, Camp Chase.

15 Driggers, Robt. S., discharged in 1861; dead.

16 DuPree, Thos. J., discharged 1861; dead.

17 English. Wm., died disease, Culpeper, Virginia.

18 Edens, Joseph, living. .

19 Edens, Thos. H., killed Bean Station, Virginia.

20 Emanuel, James M., dead.

21 Easterling, Lewis R., joined company 1865; living.
•22 Easterling, David, joined company, 1865; living.

23 Freeman, L. D., substituted for Thos. Bruce.

24 Freeman, Benj., discharged, 1862; dead.

25 Fletcher, W. R., living.

26 Guzzard, John W., died Rome, Georgia, 1863.

27 Graham, E., died Culpeper, Virginia, 1863.

28 Grooms, E., died Culpeper, Virginia, 1861.

29 Hargroves, James, transferred to quartermaster de-
partment 1861; dead.

30 Harril, Tristram, wounded Chattanooga; living.

31 Haitchcock, Thos., wounded Chattanooga; dead.

32 Hays, J. J., captured Gettysburg; living.

33 Hays, Robt. W., living.

34 Haskew, John W., wounded Gettysburg; dead.

35 Huckabe, John, captured; living.

36 Hodge, T. C, living.

37 Ivy, H. W., discharged 1862; living.

38 Ivy, Levi, wounded Malvern Hill; living.

39 Jones, John C, discharged, 1861; dead.

40 Jones, Martin, lost arm first Manassas; discharged;
dead.

41 Jacobs, Robt., substitute T. Edens; dead.

42 Jackson, John C, died in prison. Camp Chase.

43 Jacobs, J. Frost, living.

44 John. Daniel C, transferred to cavalry; living.

45 Kirby, H.

46 McCall, Cameron, died Warrenton, Virginia.

47 McCall, Alex., wounded Sharpsburg; living.

48 McRae, A. D., died in 1862.

49 McRae, John D., discharged 1862; dead.

50 McRae, Jno. C, wounded Maryland Heights; died of
disease, Virginia.

51 McDaniel, Jas. R., died disease, Knoxville.

52 McLucas, Archie, died at home, 1863.

202 History of Marlbonf Cvunty,

53 McLaurin, John F., living.

54 McLeod, Murdock, discharged i86i; dead.

55 McPherson, Malcom, killed Gettysburg, 1863.

56 McPherson, Angus, killed Gettysburg 1863.

57 Matheson, Hugh, died in 1861.

58 Manship, John, joined company 1864, died 1864.

59 Rogers, Frank A., living.

60 Rascoe, Daniel, died Virginia 1861.

62 Smith, W. D.

63 Stubbs, Lucius, died Richmond, Virginia, 1861; bodyr
buried Bcnnettsville Baptist church.

64 Sport, George, discharged 1861.

65 Sarris, A. L., died Gordonsville, Virginia.

66 Stanton, A. A., substitute Levi Ivy; dead.

67 Webster, W. R., wounded Seven Pines, Virginia; dead.

68 Williams, Lazarus, wounded first Manassas; discharge
ed 1 861; living.

69 Woodlcy, Alex., died disease, Culpeper, Virginia.

70 Weatherly, A. W., wounded Malvern Hill; living.
Killed in battle, 7; wounded, 22; captured, 6; died in^

prison, 3; discharged, 14; unknown, 3; died of disease
in war, 21; dead, 29; alive, 33.'

Company "G," 23D Regiment South Carolina Volun-
teers.

Captain, R. C. Emanuel, died since war.

1st Lieutenant, Elisha C. Pipkin, died during war.

2d Lieutenant, A. L. McRae, elected captain at reor-
ganization; killed Manassas.

3d Lieutenant, Preston Drake, died since war.

1st Sere^eant, Salathiel Leggett, elected 1st lieutenant at
reorganization; dead.

2d Sergeant, Wm. W. Covington, elected 3d Lieutenant
at reorganization; promoted captain; died since war.

3d* Lieutenant, D. S. John, lost leg at Second Manassas;
died 1893.

4th Sergeant, Silas Spears, elected 3d lieutenant 1862;
wounded Jackson, Mississippi; died.

5th Sergeant, Moses P. Galloway, elected 3d lieutenant
1863; died 1894.

1st Corporal, T. M.J. Summerford; died since war.

History of Marlboro County, 203'

2d Corporal, T. W. Alien: killed at battle of the Rappa-
hannock.

3d Corporal, John A. Calhoun, elected 2d lieutenant
1863; wounded South Mountain and Fort Steadman;;
alive.

4th Corporal, James Taylor; killed Second Mannassas.

Privates.

1 Ammons, Silas, lost leg at Second Mannassas; still
living.

2 Bristow, E. H., alive.

3 Bruce, T. R,, transferred to 8th Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers.

4 Boan, B. F., still living.

5 Brigman, B. F., still living.

6 Bristow, J. M., transferred; still living.

7 Breeden, R. J., survived the war, but murdered si nee ».

8 Bethea, P. W., alive.

9 Brigman, Frank, alive.

ID Brigman, Madison, still living.

11 Carribo, Henry, killed at Petersburg.

12 Cottingham, Jonathan, transferred; still living.

13 Carter, W. J., transferred; alive.

14 Cope, Elijah, transferred; alive.

15 Calder, Boswell, alive.

16 Calder, W. J., transferred; still living.

17 Calder, Arthur, alive.

18 Cole, James, died since war.

19 Cox, M. C, died since war.

20 Cox, Ely, died during war.

21 Cox, W. E., wounded in foot near Goldsboro, North
Carolina; alive.

22 Cox, Elvin, died since war.

23 Cox, C. A., wounded in shoulder at Rappahannock.

24 Carlisle, T. F., wounded at Fort Sumter and Peters-
burg; alive.

25 Cully, C. W., transferred; died since war.

26 Crowly, W., killed Second Mannassas.

27 Clark, , wounded Petersburg; still living.

28 Clark, Daniel, alive.

29 Clark, Elsey, killed Second Manassas.

30 Calhoun, A. L., still living.

204 History of Marlboro County,

31 Calhoun, J. C, killed Petersburg.

32 Calhoun, H. H., still living.

33 Covington, J, A., killed Petersburg, Virginia.

34 Dew, H. C, still living.

35 Driggers, J. H., still living.

36 DuPre, T. J., died since war.

37 Dunford, John, died at Richmond, Virginia.

38 Driggers, Alex., discharged; died since war.

39 Emanuel, Columbus, died since war.
.40 Emanuel, Frank, died since war.

41 Earl, Jesse, lost.

42 English, James, died since war.

43 English, John, transferred and died since war.

44 English, Chas., still alive.

45 Freeman, Lorenzo, killed Second Manassas.

46 Graham, J. J., wounded Rappahannock, transferred;
alive.

47 Graham, Windsor, transferred; died since war.

48 Gray, William, alive.

49 Gray, Robt., wounded Kinston and Petersburg; alive.

50 Gray, Calvin, dead.

51 Garner, Wm., transferred; alive.

52 Gilbert, Robt., alive.

53 Galloway, Jos. S., wounded Petersburg; alive.

-54 Galloway, W. A., wounded Jackson, Mississippi;
alive.

55 Galloway, Jno. C, wounded Petersburg; alive.

56 Heustiss, James, discharged, over age.

57 Heustiss, A. J., discharged, under age; alive.

58 Hood, John, died during war.

59 Hood, Wellington, killed Second Manassas.

60 Hood, Wiley, alive.

61 Hubbard, S. G., wounded Second Manassas; still
living.

62 Hubbard, E. G., died in Mississippi during war, of
fever.

63 Hersey, G. R , transferred; died since war.

64 Haithcock, R. F., wounded Petersburg; alive.

65 Haithcock, R., discharged; died since war.

66 Haithcock, Samuel, wounded Fort Steadman; alive.

67 Hamer, Daniel H., alive.

68 Ivy, H. M., killed Second Manassas.

69 Jackson, Abner, died since war.

History of Marlboro County, 205

70 Jackson, John, transferred; died since war.

71 Johnson, W. D., lost sight of.

72 Jackson, A. W., wounded, transferred; alive.

73 Jackson, Wm., died since war.

74 Lochlier, John, died in hospital in North Carolina.

75 Meekins, P. J., wounded Petersburg; alive.

76 Munford, Wm., transferred; alive.

T] Moody, Geo., transferred; died since war.

78 McLaurin, J. B., elected 2d lieutenant at reorganiza-
tion, resigned; dead.

79 McLaurin, D. McQ., died during war.

80 McLaurin, N. D., alive.

81 McLaurin, Geo., alive.

82 McLaurin, J. J., died in 1892.

83 McLaurin, H. L., wounded Petersburg; alive.

84 McLaurin, D. W., wounded Petersburg; alive.

85 McLaurin, Hugh, died Jackson, Mississippi.

86 McEachern, Niell, alive.

'^'j McEachern, John, died Richmond, Virginia.

88 McKenzie, R. H., killed South Mountain, Maryland.

89 McRae, John T., transferred; killed.

90 McRae, Chas., alive.

91 McCoU, Silas, wounded Jackson, Mississippi; alive.

92 McColl, Duncan, transferred; alive.

93 McColl, Jno. S., wounded Second Manassas, disabled,

94 McAlister, John, transferred; alive.

95 McAlister, Chas., transferred; alive.

96 McColl, Daniel, died Jackson, Mississippi, of fever.

97 McGilvray, B. P., killed Five Forks, Virginia.

98 Napier, Joel E., wounded Petersburg; still living.

99 Parish, Henry, still living.

GO Parham, Henry, transferred; alive.

01 Poison, Alex, wounded and died.

02 Poison, David, alive.

03 Proctor, Frederick, alive.

04 Proctor, Aaron, killed Petersburg.

05 Parham, Robt., alive.

06 Quick, Alfred, died since war.

07 Quick, Giles, died since war.

08 Quick, Philip, died Savannah, Georgia, fever.

09 Quipk, Daniel, died at home of fever.

ID Quick, Jas. H., wounded Five Forks; alive,
II Quick, Henry, killed Second Manassas,
J4

206

History of Marlboro County.

12 Quick, Pleasant, killed Petersburg, Virginia.

13 Quick, E. B., alive.

14 Quick, A. W., alive.

15 Rae, A. P., transferred to North Carolina Regiment;
dead.

16 Rascoe, Wm., transferred; died since war.

17 Spears, Harris N., alive.

18 Spears, Wm., alive.

19 Seals, James, wounded P'ive Forks; died since war.

20 Stubbs, Jas., wounded Petersburg; alive.

21 Stubbs, John, killed Antietam, Maryland.

22 Stubbs, Joel, died during war.

23 Sawyer, Levi, killed Second Manassas.

24 Stergis, John, lost an arm at Second Manassas.

25 Stergis, Joseph, discharged.

26 Sawyer, Joel, alive. •

27 Stanton, W. G., alive.

28 Stanton, W. H., died since war.

29 Stanton, J. H., killed Five Forks, Virginia.

30 Stanton, Peter, alive.

31 Steed, W. H., wounded Petersburg; alive.

32 Stogner, John, wounded Jackson, Mississippi; alive

33 Stogner, Wm., wounded Five Forks, Virginia; alive.

34 Sports, John, discharged; bad health.

35 Sports, W. B., died during war.

36 Thomas, Philip, alive.

37 Wallace, Washington, wounded Second Manassas;
died since war.

38 Wilkins, J. T., transferred; died since war.

39 Wiloughby, J. P., transferred; died since war.

40 Wiggins, Ham, died during war.

41 Webb, David, died since war.

42 Webb, Alex., wounded Petersburg; died since war.

43 Weatherly, E. A., transferred; still living.

44 Warden, Eli, lost.

45 Welch, Richard, transferred; died since war.

46 Sinclair, D. C, transferred, died since war.

47 McCoU, W. M., alive.

Killed in battle, 19; wounded, 33; died during war, 17;
transferred, 26; discharged, 6; lost, 3; died since war,
40; alive, 72.

History of Marlboro County. io^

Muster Roll Company "D," 26th Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers.

Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers.

A. D. Smith, Colonel.

J. H. Hudson, Lt. Colonel.

Smith, A. D., captain; elected colonel 26th Regiment,
1862; wounded Petersburg; died at home.

Davis, Washington W., ist lieutenant; promoted captain
1862; killed Clay's Farm, Virginia.

Wallace, John W., 2d lieutenant; promoted ist lieuten-
ant 1862; dead.

Davis, James M., 3d lieutenant; promoted 2d lieutenant
1862; died at home.

Bristow,*Alexander E., ist sergeant; promoted 3d and 2d
lieutenant 1862; captain 1864; alive.

Hall, Alexander, 2d sergeant; elected 3d lieutenant 1863;
alive.

Hammond, Haynes L., 3d sergeant; transferred to North
Carolina Regiment; killed Wilderness.

Quick* Robert, 4th sergeant; promoted ist sergeant 1864;
killed Petersburg, 1864.

Quick, Thomas, P., 5th sergeant; killed Petersburg 1864.

Parker, Peter, ist corporal; promoted sergeant 1862; died
at home.

Brigman, J. Curtis, 2d corporal; alive.

Hayes, James M., 3d corporal; alive.

Roller, John, 4th corporal; killed Secessionville, 1862.

Brigman, Eli, 5th corporal; killed Petersburg, 1864.

Covington, Harris, 2d lieutenant 1861; promoted 1st lieu-
tenant, 1864; captain, 1865; died 1876.

Malone, John C, elected ist sergeant 1862; transferred;
living.

Parham, Alex. K., elected ist sergeant 1863; alive.

Emanuel, Frank W., elected sergeant-major 1862; ordi-
nance sergeant 1861; died in Texas.

Privates.

1 Bittle, James, H., killed Petersburg 1864.

2 Bolton, Britton, died at home.

3 Brigman, Henry.

2oS History of Marlboro County.

4 Brigman, Moses.

5 Brigman, William, killed at Petersburg, 1864.

6 Brigman, Henry.

7 Brigman, Jacob C.

8 Barrington, Goodwin, living.

9 Barrington, Sion R., living.
ID Barrington, Ebby W., living.

11 Barrington, Alex. H., living.

12 Bealancua, Augustus.

13 Calder, Henry, transferred to 8th Regiment.

14 Calder, Stamford.

15 Calder, Daniel, died at home.

16 Covington, Henry, killed Petersburg 1864.

17 Clayton, John, died at home of disease.

18 Cole, William.

19 Chavis, Eliab, alive.

20 Chavis, James, alive.

21 Chavis, Bytha J., died at home.

22 Chavis, Willis J., living.

23 Chavis, John, died June, 1862, at Charleston.

24 Chavis, Nelson, living.

25 Chavis, Eli, living.

26 Chavis, Calvin, living.

27 Chavis, Levi, killed Clay^s Farm, near Petersburg, 1864.

28 Chavis, William, killed near Petersburg, 1864.

29 Chavis, Bithel, died at home on furlough, 1864.

30 Chavis, Alfred, killed August 1864, near Petersburg

31 Clark, William.

32 Davis, Younger, died of disease at Secessionville.

33 Dawkins, Elisha A., killed near Petersburg 1864.

34 Driggers, Thomas, killed Secessionville, June, 1862

35 Driggers, Eli, wounded Clay's Farm, Virginia, 1864;
alive.

,36 Driggers, Gage; alive.

37 Driggers, Peter, alive.

38 English, Alex., wounded Jackson, Mississippi.

39 English, Eli, alive.

40 English, Welcome, killed Petersburg 1864.

41 Fletcher, John S., severely wounded Petersburg,
1864; alive.

42 Griggs, Henry, transferred to Coit's Battery 1864.

43 Gilbert, Simeon.

44 Gibson, Eli,wounded Burgiss Mill,Virginia, 1865 ; alive.

History of Marlboro Coutity. 26g

45 Gibson, Frank B., wounded near Appomatox, Vir-
ginia, day Lee*s surrender, April 9th, 1865; alive.

46 Gibson, John, killed near Petersburg 1864.

47 Grooms, Evander, killed near Petersburg, 1864.

48 Grant, James T., alive.

49 Guinn, Anderson, alive.

50 Hammond, Stephen, transferred to North Carolina
Regiment 1864.

51 Hatcher, Abner, wounded Petersburg 1864; alive

52 Hatcher, Aaron, died at home 1864.

53 Hall, William, alive.

54 Jacobs, Curtis J., alive.

55 Jacobs, Archie, died Petersburg, Virginia.

56 Jones, William.

57 Jones, James H., died 1895.

58 Jacobs, Samuel, alive.

59 Laviner, Hiram.

60 Laviner, Harris, living.

61 Liles, James S., wounded Petersburg 1864; alive.

62 McGee, Wesley M.

63 Mumford, James, killed at Petersburg, Virginia.

64 Morris, Campbell, died since war.

65 McGee, Henry.

66 Mahoney, Thomas, discharged.

67 Oxendine, Manny, alive.

68 Oxendine, Leonard, C, promoted on field, 1864, to
sergeant; alive.

69 Odom, Alexander, alive.

70 Odom, Noah, transferred to 4th South Carolina Cav-
alry; alive.

71 Parks, Alex, died Charleston, 1863.

72 Parker, Andrews.

73 Parham, William, died Church Flats, South Carolina.

74 Perkins, Miles, died in hospital.

75 Perkins, Wm.

76 Prevatt, Evander, died in hospital.

77 Powell, Wm. R., alive.

78 Quick, Aaron T., alive.

79 Quick, Robt. W., died at home.

80 Quick, Evander, alive.

81 Quick, Stephen, wounded Petersburg and Appo-
matox; dead.

82 Quick, Ebby, wounded Petersburg 1864; alive.

^10 History of Marlboro Cduniy.

83 Quick, Wyatt, died at home 1863.

84 Quick, Chas. D., alive.

85 Quick, Madison, alive.

86 Roller, Henry T.

87 Roller, Benjamin, alive.

88 Roller, John, killed Secessionville, South Carolina.

89 Rainwaters, Samuel.

90 Rogers, Pinckney, alive.

91 Smith, Stephen.
02 Scott, Benjamin.

93 Sweat, Benjamin, killed 1862.

94 Sweat, Leonard, killed Petersburg 1864.

95 Sweat John, died Secessionville 1862.

96 Steen, Morgan.

97 Strickland, Henry, died Petersburg 1864.

98 Smith, James, discharged.

99 Sweat, William, wounded Jackson, Mississippi; alive.

100 Stanton, John, killed Petersburg 1864.

101 Townsend, Walter S.; alive.

102 Turner, Aaron, alive.

103 Watson, Coleman, died at home.

104 Wilkinson, Gorman, died Charleston.

105 Williams, Chas.

Killed in battle 22; died during war, 21; died since war,
6; alive, 47; wounded, 10: unknown, 23.

On December 25, 1861, Company **F," 21st Regiment,
S. C. v., was formally accepted and enrolled for service
by the State authorities. On January 6, 1862, orders
were received to report at Charleston, but later orders
sent the company first to Georgetown, S. C.

Mustek Roll Company "F," 2Ist Regiment, South
Carolina Volunteers.

1 Captain, J. A. W. Thomas; twice wounded; died
August 2, 1896.

2 1st lieutenant, W. L. Leggett; resigned; died 1892.

3 1st lieutenant, N. A. Easterling; wounded; died in
prison.

4 2d lieutenant, R. E. Townsend; alive (1896).

History of Marlboro County. 21 1

5 3d lieutenant, W. D. Cook; wounded and died in
prison.

6 1st sergeant, J. R. Moore; wounded and died in
prison.

7 2d sergeant, A. B. Easterling; wounded and after-
wards killed at Cold Harbor.

8 3d sergeant, W. H. Adams; wounded, captured and
yet alive.

9 4th sergeant, E. J. Feagan; killed at Cold Harbor.

10 1st corporal, H. T. Quick; wounded and died at
Cold Harbor.

11 2d corporal, A. W. Moore; captured till close of war;
died 1897.

12 3d corporal, J. M. Gibson; killed near Petersburg.

13 4th corporal, T. C. Lester; prisoner at close of war;
alive.

14 3d corporal, D. M. Sinclair; killed near Petersburg.

15 3d corporal, W. B. Odom; wounded; captured; alive.

16 2d corporal, D. D. Weaton; prisoner when war closed;
alive.

17 Adams, Joshua, wounded; alive.

18 Adams, J. R., killed at Cold Harbor.

19 Adams, W. L., died in hospital

20 Anderson, J. G., (corp.) killed at Petersburg.

21 Anderson, W. T., died in hospital.

22 Barrington, P. L., died in Charleston in camp.

23 Barrington, W., died in hospital.

24 Barrington, Philip, killed at Petersburg.

25 Bennett, F., captured; released at close of war; alive.

26 Bennett, Thos., captured; released at close of war;
alive.

27 Bowen, C, wounded; alive.

28 Bowen, F. C, killed at Drury's Bluff.

29 Bristow, D. M., wounded; captured; died in prison.
3Q Bristow, R. W., mortally wounded at Fort Fisher;

died.

31 Bristow, W. J., killed by accident.

32 Brigman, Geo., discharged; alive.

33 Bundy, G. W., captured at Fort Fisher; died in prison.

34 Butler, Elijah, discharged; died 1886.

35 Butler, Wm., died in hospital.

36 Butler, W., discharged, under age; alive,

37 Calder, J. D., died in hospital.

212 History of Marlboro County,

38 Calder, Stanford, discharged; died October 27. 1891.

39 Clarke, Archie, died in hospital.

40 Clark, Jno. C, discharged; died 1886.

41 Coward, J. H., transferred.

42 Covington, A. B., discharged; alive.

43 Covington, A. D., captured; released at close of war;
alive.

44 Cottingham, F., wounded at Walthall and died.

45 Creech, David, captured at Fort Fisher; died in prison.

46 Cummings, Elijah, captured and returned; alive.

47 Currie. N. R., captured at Fort Fisher; died in prison.

48 David, Dr. W. J., transferred to i8th Regiment; sur-
geon; died 1895.

49 Dial, Jacob, captured at Fort Fisher; died in prison.

50 Dunn, Thomas, killed at Petersburg.

51 Dunn, Wm., died at home on sick leave.

52 Easterling, A. J., died on sick leave. •

53 Easterling, G. W., captured and returned; died 1878.

54 Easterling, H. R., died on sick leave.

55 Easterling, Jesse A., 4th sergeant; killed on Morris
Island, July 10, 1863.

56 Easterling, Joel A., died at Georgetown, 1862.

57 Easterling, Jno. L.,.died since war.

58 Easterling, Jno. A., died in hospital.

59 Easterling, Jas. T., discharged; since died.

60 Easterling, W. L., served short time; alive.

61 Easterling, W. T., captured at Fort Fisher; released;
alive. .

62 Fletcher, Thos., discharged; alive.

63 Fields, Silas, alive.

64 Gibson, A. H., killed at Drury's Bluff, 1864.

65 Gay, P. W., captured at Fort Fisher; died in prison.

66 Grice, E. G., died 1896.

67 Guinn, Geo., alive.

68 Hamer, A. C., wounded at Petersburg; died in hands
of enemy.

69 Hamer, C. H., captured at Fort Fisher; died in
prison.

70 Hamer, E. C, discharged; died 1891.

71 Hamer, J. C, captured; died in prison.

72 Hamer, P. M., ist sergeant; discharged; died May
1885.

73 Hamer, R. H., 4th corporal; discharged; alive,

History of Marlboro County, 213

74 Hamer, T. C, died on sick leave.

75 Haywood, Anderson, discharged; died 1892.

76 Haywood, Isham, killed on Morris Island.
^y Haywood, Wm., died in hospital.

78 Heustiss, G. W., wounded and died at Fort Fisher.

79 Howard, John, alive.

80 Hudson, J H., transferred to 26th regiment, lieuten-
ant-colonel; alive.

81 Herndon, David, alive.

82 Jacobs, B. L., died in hospital.

83 Jacobs, Snowden, captured and released at close of
war.

84 Johnson, W. D., discharged; furnished substitute;
alive.

85 Leggett, A. J., captured; released at close of war;
since died.

86 Lochlin, ^., alive.

87 Locklier, Alex., died in hospital.

88 Manship, A., killed at Petersburg.

89 McKaskill, N. C, 2d sergeant; killed at Petersburg,
1864.

90 McCall, J. N., discharged; furnished substitute; alive.

91 McDaniel, I. W., wounded twice; died 1887.

92 McKenzie, J. C, alive.

93 McQuage, J. R.

94 Mclntyre, J. T:, sergeant-nnajor; wounded; captured
at Fort Fisher; died.

95 Moore, B. J., captured on Morris Island; died in
prison.

96 Nelson, Ervin, captured; died in prison.

97 Newton, J. C, killed in battle of Drury's Bluff.

98 Odom, D. A., alive.

99 Odom, Henry, killed in battle at Petersburg.
100 Odom, J. E., died in hospital at Georgetown.

lOi Odom S. D., wounded; absent on sick leave at sur-
render; alive.

102 Odom, J. E., wounded severely; died January 1885.

103 Owens, Jno., captured; died in prison.

104 Pate A. D., wounded at Fort Fisher and died.

105 Pate, Willis, discharged; died 1888.

106 Peel, Eli F., at surrender; alive.

107 Peel, Thos., wounded; alive.

108 Poison, W., died at Georgetown 1862.
15

214 History of Marlboro County.

109 Powers, Ervin, wounded; alive.

no Quick, Angus, captured at Fisher; died in prison.

111 Quick, Henry, killed in battle.

112 Quick, Jno. B., wounded at Fisher; died.

113 Rascoe, Alex, captured; returned at close of war;
alive.

114 Rascoe, Wm., died in hospital.

115 Scott, Wash, alive.

116 Smith, C, captured, returned close of war; alive.

117 Spears, J. A., killed at Petersburg 1864.

118 Steen, A., captured at Fisher; died in prison.

119 Stogner, Tom, died in hospital.

120 Stogner, Wm., died at home on sick leave.

121 Stephens, J. E., captured at Fisher, died in prison.

122 Stephens, Reuben, died in hospital.

123 Stubbs, A. A., discharged; died 1893.

124 Stubbs, D. D. (4th Corporal), capturedand returned;
alive.

125 Stubbs, C. E., wounded; at surrender; alive.

126 Stubbs, J. B., captured and returned; alive.

127 Stubbs, M. W., wounded mortally; died Petersburg
1864.

128 Stubbs, S. F., captured at Fisher; died in prison.

129 Stubbs, T. E., discharged; died since war.

130 Stubbs, T. P., discharged; alive.

131 Tart, W. J., died Georgetown.

132 Terrell, W. T., killed near Petersburg 1864.

133 Thomas, Joe, died in hospital.

134 Turnage, Luke, captured and returned close war; dead.

135 Usher, M., killed Walthall Junction 1864.

136 Wallace, T. G., transferred to cavalry; alive.

137 Waters, Reuben, killed at Petersburg 1864.

138 Weatherford, Jas., died at home on sick leave 1864.

139 Williams, Henry, captured; returned close of war;
alive.

140 Williams, Jno., captured and returned; alive.

141 Williams, Sam, transferred.

142 Willis, Allen, killed at Petersburg.

143 Wise, W. W., wounded severely; alive.

144 Woodle, Ransom, severely wounded; since died.

History of Marlboro County, 215

Recapitulation.

Killed in battle, 31; died in hospital of wounds, 5; died
in hospital and at home on sick leave, 20; died in prison,
18; accidentally killed, i. Total killed 75.

Captured and kept in prison till close of war, 23; dis-
charged for cause, 16; transferred to other commands, 7;
wounded and continued to serve, 33. Taking out the
discharged and transferred and there were 121 men, rank
and file. 131 captures and casualties, of the whole number
enlisted now living 57, and unknown as to whereabouts,
12. Total number enlisted, 144.

Company "B," 24th South Carolina Regiment Infantry

Was organized in the summer of 1861 for State service.
In December the company was received into the service,
and assigned to duty at Charleston, South Carolina.
In June, 1862, the company was mustered into the Con-
federate service and assigned to the Army of Tennessee
May 6th, i86i.

Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers.

J. Edwin Spears, captain; resigned May, 1863; died at

home 1865.
R. Johnson, ist lieutenant; promoted captain 1863; '^st

arm 1863; resigned 1863; died 1884.
Wm. Griffin, 2d lieutenant; resigned 1862; died at home.
C. D. Easterling, 3d lieutenant; promoted 2d lieutenant

1862; 1st lieutenant in 1863; captain 1863; alive.
J. D. Reese, ist sergeant; died 1862.
F. P. Tatum, 2d sergeant; promoted ist sergeant 1862;

1st lieutenant 1863; alive.
W. J. Green, 3d sergeant; promoted 3d lieutenant 1863;

killed in battle 1863.
T. B. Moore, 4th sergeant; promoted 2d lieutenant 1863;

died 1873.
J. L. Barrow, 5th sergeant; captured 1863; alive.
J. C. Mallonie, ist corporal, transferred to 26th Regiment

South Carolina Volunteers.

2i6 History of Marlboro Coufity,

J. L. Stubbs, 3d corporal; promoted 2d sergeant 1863;
alive.

J. P. Hinson, 2d corporal; promoted 1st sergeant 1863.

W. S. Townsend, 4th sergeant; transferred to 26th Regi-
ment.

Privates.

1 Ammons, Allen, dead.

2 Ammons, Alpheus, alive.

3 Ammons, Thos., still living.

4 Arnett, Benj., discharged 1863.

5 Brigman, L., died 1875.

6 Bristow, T. C, alive.

7 Bennett, G. W., still living.

8 Bass, Richard, alive.

9 Bowyer, T. M., transferred 1862; dead.

10 Bethea, A. J., detailed as hospital steward; dead.

11 Bethea, T. T., killed Franklin 1864.

12 Beverly, Robert, promoted corporal 1863; killed 1863.

13 Barrentine, G.

14 Bennett, J. J., camp cook.

15 Calder, H., killed Atlanta 1864.

16 Cope, John, died in hospital, 1864.

17 Cope, E., still living.

18 Calder, R., transferred to Sharpshooters' Regiment
1862.

19 Chavis, J., died at home 1868.

20 Chavis, Wm., discharged 1862.

21 Chavis, Geo., died in hospital 1862.

22 Caulk, James, died in hospital 1862.

23 Caulk, J. C.

24 Crawford, W. H.

25 Crawford, H. B.

26 Crawford, G. G.

27 Covington, H., transferred to 26th Regiment; died
1876.

2S Day, Wm., killed battle Chickamauga 1863.

29 Dunn, Alexander, died in camp 1863.

30 Driggers. M. C, died at home 1878.

31 Driggers, Whit, dead.

32 Driggers, C. O.

33 Driggers, , died at home 1862.

34 Kllen, W. B., died at home.

History of Marlboro Coufity. 2 1 7

35 Easterling, W. B., promoted sergeant 1863; lost right
arm Franklin 1864.

36 Easterling, J. T., color-sergeant; killed Franklin,
Tenn., 1864.

37 Easterling, J. N., prisoner 1863.

38 Easterling, W. L., alive.

39 Fields, P., died at home 1863.

40 Fletcher, N., died in camp 1862.

41 Green, J. B., promoted 3d lieutenant 1863; alive.

42 Green, Geo., died 1865.

43 Griffin, John, died 1863.

44 Gaddy, J. W.

45 Gaddy, Wm., transferred 1862.

46 Hinson, H. P., alive.

47 Hinson, E. D., died 1863.

48 Hodges, R., alive.

49 Hodges, J. H., died in hospital 1863.

50 Hall, James.

51 Haithcock R., died in hospital 1863.

52 Hubbard, Martin, lost thumb in battle.

53 Jacobs, Asbury.

54 Jones, J. A., color-sergeant; killed Franklin, 1864.

55 Johnson, J., corporal; killed 1863.

56 Jones, W. W., died at home.

57 Jacobs, J. P., camp cook.

58 Lewis, W. S., appointed sergeant 1863; died 1896.

59 Liles, S. H., corporal; killed 1863 Kennesaw Mountain.

60 McRae, W. J., captured 1863; died at home.

61 Miller, H., transferred to 8th Regiment; lost leg; dead.

62 McCollum, H., still living.

63 Meekins, W. E., corporal; killed 1863.

64 Meekins, P. P., still living.

65 Meekins, Oscar, killed Jonesboro, Georgia 1863.

66 McQuaig H., company courier; alive.

67 Medlin, John, discharged 1862.

68 Medlin, Jas., discharged 1862.

69 Medlin, Jonathan, discharged 1862.

70 Norton, Elias.

71 Norton, Samuel, killed Franklin, 1864.

72 Norton, Jas., died 1862.

73 Odom, S. W., killed Chickamauga 1863.

74 Odom, H. E., killed Jackson 1863.

75 Odom, J. G., died in hospital, 1863.

2i8 History of Marlboro County,

76 Odom, D. A., transferred to sharpshooters 1862
^^ Odom, L.

78 Odom, P. E.

79 Peel, Freeman, captured, 1864; died 1881.

80 Parham A., alive.

81 Parham, Samuel, killed Peachtree creek, 1863.

82 Parker, Wm., killed Peachtree creek 1863.

83 Quick M., alive.

84 Quick, A.

85 Quick, James, died at home.

86 Rowe, W. D., died 1896.

87 Rowe, J. H., died in hospital. 1861.

88 Rascoe, H., died in hospital 1862.

89 Stubbs, Thos.

90 Stubbs, Daniel, wounded and discharged 1863

91 Sanders, J., died in camp 1863.

92 Sweat, Jas., died 1869.

93 Sweat, J. W., died at home.

94 Sweat, Simeon, killed 1863.

95 Sweat, Harris, discharged 1863

96 Stanton, N., killed at Franklin, Tennessee, 1864.

97 Stanton, E. G., wounded and discharged 1863.

98 Stanton, M., killed Franklin 1864.

99 Sweat, Sam, died from wounds 1863.
100 Thompson, T. J., discharged 1862.
loi Trawick, Peter, killed Franklin, 1864.

102 Turner, L., died at home.

103 Turner, Jas.

104 Turner, D.

105 Turner, Jack, died 1895.

106 Usher, Chas. died at home 1863.

107 Wallace, J. B., in Texas; alive.

108 Willoughby, R., discharged 1862.

109 Williams, Thos., died 1864.
no Williams, L.

111 Williams, Joseph, died in hospital 1863.

112 Wright, Daniel, died 1862.

113 Woodley, Jonathan, alive.

114 Woodle, E., wounded 1863.

115 Woodle, Hinson, killed in battle 1863.

116 Waters. J.

Killed in battle, 20; died during war, 23; wounded, 10
died at home, 22; captured, 5.

History of Marlboro County, 219

Company *'E/' 4th South Carolina Cavalry,

Was originally organized in Marlboro County in the latter
part of the year 1861. The Company left Marlboro for
Georgetown, South Carolina, January 22, 1862, and in the
spring of 1864 were transferred to Virginia and became a
part of Butler's Brigade of Hampton's Division. The
following is a list of the officers and privates:

Captains.

Wm. P. Emanuel, elected Major May 1862; captured
Trevilian Station, Virginia, 1864; died about 1879.

Henry Edens, promoted captain from 3d lieutenant
1862; honorably discharged 1863; died since war.

Peter L. Breeden, promoted from ist lieutenant 1863;
wounded Haw's Shf)p 1864.

1ST Lieutenants.

B. F. McGilvray, transferred 1862; killed Petersburg,
Virginia.

P. L. Breeden, promoted from 2d lieutenant 1861.

Allen Edens, promoted from 2d lieutenant 1863; died
at home.

2D Lieutenants.

P. L. Breeden, elected at organization.

Allen Edens, promoted from 2d sergeant 1862.

J. N. Weatherly, promoted from 3d lieutenant 1863;
wounded at Lee's Mill 1864; died March 3, 1893.

3D Lieutenants.
Sion H. Alford, elected at organization; dead.
Wm. M. Bristow, elected 1862; resigned 1863; died at
home.

Henry A. Long, promoted 1863; died at home 1864.

1ST Sergeants.

John J. Herndon, elected at organization; furnished
substitute in 1862; dead.

220 History of Marlboro County.

Nevil Bennett, elected 1862; honorably discharged.

Henry A. Long, elected 1862.

Nicholas P. Bone, elected 1863; died since war.

2D Sergeants.

Allen Edens, elected 1863.
Jonathan Adams, chosen 1862.

3D Sergeant.

John S. McColl, died since war.

4TH Sergeai^s.

C. A. Weatherly.

James C. McRae, ist corporal; wounded Haw's Shop.
John Parish, 2d corporal.
Joseph Newton, 3d corporal.

Robt. T. Weatherly, 4th corporal; died at Pocotaligo,
South Carolina 1863. ,

Wm. Benjamin Smith, sth corporal; died since war.

Privates.

1 Adams, Andrew J., died since war.

2 Adams, Peter L., died Camp Waccamaw 1862.

3 Anderson, George, lost sight of.

4 Bone, Nicholas P., elected sergeant; dead.

5 Bone, Leonard D.

6 Bass, Wade, H., wounded Trevilian Station, Virginia.

7 Breeden, John L., killed in 1864.

8 Brigman, Wm., killed at home 1864.

9 Brigman, John, transferred to 26th Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers.

10 Brigman, Alex.

11 Brigman, Evander, transferred to 26th Regiment.

12 Britt, James.

13 Britt, Thos. P., dead.

14 Bundy, Wm., dead.

15 Byrd, Levi.

16 Calder, Peter, lost foot at Haw's Shop; dead.

17 Cope, Daniel, captured at Haw's Shop; died in Savan-
nah.

History of Marlboro County, 221

18 Cottingham, Thos., alive.

19 Cottingham, Ucal, wounded Trevilian, died in hospital.

20 Coward, Lewis, went West after war.

21 Cork, James, died since war.

22 Cork, John.

23 Driggers, Aaron T., dead.

24 Driggers, Abner, died since war.

25 Driggers, Philip, killed Lee's Mill 1864.

26 Durre, Thomas J., transferred, from 8th Regiment

to company **E*'; wounded; died since war.

27 Earl, Elijah.

28 Easterling, Henry.

29 Edens, Thos. W., died 1895.

30 Emanuel, Chas. L., dead.

31 Evans, C. D.

32 Eraser, John, killed Haw's Shop 1864.

33 Freeman, Benj., killed Haw's Shop, May 28, 1864.

34 Freeman, James, wounded at Reaves' Station; died
since war.

35 Gibson, Thos., captured Trevilian; died since war.

36 Grant, Barnabas, captured Trevilian; died Elmira,
New York.

37 Grooms, Evander, transferred to 26th Regiment
South Carolina Volunteers.

38 Hall, Wm., transferred to company "D," 26th Regi-
ment.

39 Haithcock, Wm.

40 Jackson, Chas., dead.

41 Jackson, Joseph, captured Trevilian Station; died
Elmira, New York.

42 Jackson, Laban M.

43 Jacobs, Bethel, dead.

44 Jacobs, David.

45 Jacobs, Samuel, transferred to company **D," 26th
Regiment.

46 Jones, John, killed Haw's Shop, May 28, 1864.

47 Lide, William.

48 McLaurin, Alex L., dead.

49 McLaurin, D. P., transferred to company **A," 23d
Regiment South Carolina Volunteers.

56 McLaurin. Jas. W., captured Stoney Creek, Virginia;

died 1894.
51 McLaurin, Lauchlin A., dead.
16

222 History of Marlboro^ County,

52 McLaurin, Loch B.

53 Mclnnis, James.

54 Mclnnis, John.

55 McCrimmon, John A.
66 McColl, John S., dead.

57 McColl, Samuel S., dead.

58 McColl, Hugh S., captured Trevilian; died in prison.

59 Morris. Thos. J.

60 Marshall, John.

61 Murdock, John T., dead.

62 Mulligan, James.

63 McRae, Angus, died Pocotaligo, South Carolina.

64 McRae, Daniel C, dead.

65 McRae, John D., dead.

66 McRae. James A., dead.

67 McRae, James.

68 McRae, J. Calvin.

69 Newton, Cornelius D.

70 Newton, Hope Hull, severely wounded, Haw's Shop,
May 28, 1864.

71 Newton, Joseph.

72 Newton, Richard D., died Wilson, N. C. 1864.

73 Newton, Peyton V., died 1896.

74 Newton, Thos. B.

75 Odom, Evander W., severely wounded Burgess' Mill
1864.

76 Odom, Noah.
T"] Odom, Daniel J.

78 Odom, H. King.

79 Odom, Jas. Thomas; killed Trevilian Station 1864.

80 Odom, John, killed , Haw's Shop, 1864.

81 Odom, Nehemiah.

82 Odom, Robt. H., died since war.

83 Odom, Thos. Q.

84 O'Nails, James.

85 Parker, Andrew, dead.

86 Parker, Elijah, wounded.
^y Parker, Harrison, dead.

88 Powers, Ellison, dead.

89 Parrott, James.

90 Prevatt, Angus, wounded Haw's Shop; died since war.

91 Prevatt, James.

92 Pope, Bennett J., wounded Haw's Shop; died since war.

History of Marlboro County. 223

93 Proctor, Thos. A., died since war.

94 Quick, Leggett.

95 Rainwaters, Joshua, died in prison.

96 Rogers, Wm.

97 Roper, Caswell, wounded Lee's Mill, Va.; died since
war.

98 Sanders, Moses P., dead.

99 Sawyer, John H.

100 Sellers, Bryant J., died McPhersonville, S. C, August

13, 1863.
lOi Smith, Herbert, captured Trevilian; died in prison.

102 Smith, Joseph R.

103 Stackhouse, H. Milton.

104 Stackhouse, Robt. Boyd, died since war from wound
received at Haw's Shop.

105 Stackhouse, John, captured and died Elmira, N. Y.

106 Stuckey, Ben N.

107 Stubbs, Thos. A., dead.

108 Sweat, Henry, died since war.

109 Sweat, Saml., dead,
no Sweat, Sandford, dead.

111 Sweat, Wm. K , dead.

112 Thomas, James, died Camp Marion, S. C, 1862.

113 Thomas, Nathan S., dead.

114 Weatherly, Isaac, dead.

115 West, William, wounded Haw's Shop; died since, war.

116 Young, Jackson, lost sight of.

Where not marked "dead," supposed to be alive.
Wounded, 16; killed in battle, 8*, captured, 9; difed
during war, 29; died since war, 39; alive, 55.

Muster Roll of Company "I," 20th Regiment, South
Carolina Volunteers.

1 A. D. Sparks, Capt. 9 John Manning, 5th Serg't

2 James A. Peterkin, ist 10 — Ware, Corp'l.
Lieut. II — Strickland, Corp'l.

3 F. W. Kinney, 2d Lieut. 12 — Rowe, Corp'l.

4 J. F. Bolton, 3d Lieut. 13 Elmore Allen, Corp'l.

5 — Hodges, 1st Serg't. i Allen, J.

6 — Emanuel, 2d Serg't. 2 Barton, J.

7 — Walsh, 3d Serg't. 3 Barry, D. F.

8 — Covington, 4th Serg't. 4 Bristow, J. W.

224

History of Marlboro County.

5 Brigman, J. A.

6 Clark, B.

7 Cope, J. F.

8 Coxe, R. A.

9 Crabb, H, S.

10 Crowley. Robert.

11 David, J.

12 Doty, A.

13 Driggers. J. H.

14 Fowler. W. D.

15 FinJayson, A. E.

16 Frasier, Chas.

17 Frasier, Sam.

18 Graham, J. J.

19 Grice, J. D.

20 Hinds, J. D.

21 Hodges, T. C.

22 Ivey, W. H.

23 Kennedy, J. E.

24 Manning, E.

25 Manning, J.

26 Miles, G. W.

27 Moody, G.W.

28 McCoU, L. H.

29 McCaskill, R.

30 McDaniel, J. R.
3i.McDaniel, W. H.

32 McLeod, M.

33 McLeod, J. C.

34 McLeod, B. F.

35 McRae, J.

36 Parham, J. H.

37 Parham, H.

38 Parish, Joel.

39 Parker, Sam.

40 Poison, Chas.

41 Poison, Wm.

42 Quick, A. W.

43 Poison, Jerry.

44 Rascoe, Wm.

45 Smith, H.

46 Spencer, T. D.

47 Stanton, J.

48 Tomlinson, Jas.

49 Turner, John.

50 Wallace, S.

51 Wallace, W.T.

52 Thomlinson, L.

53 Wallace, Thos. G.

54 Weatherly.

55 Webster, J.

56 Webster, Jas.

57 Wiloughby, R.

58 Williams, S. V.

59 McLean.

60 Lipscomb.

61 Timmons.

62 Thomas.

63 Lowe.

64 King.

65 Linder.

66 Watson, Sam.

67 Watson.

68 Cowan.

A list of Marlboro men who enlisted in Captain James
A. Peterkin's cavalry company, but when the company
was disbanded, they united with the Hampton Legion.

Co. "C."

1 Alford, J. M., dead.

2 Bullard, Charles.

3 Bullard, Geo. W.

4 Calder, Wm.

5 Calder, Robt.

Co. "H."

1 Crosland, T. L., alive.

2 Crosland, Chas., alive.

3 Coxe, Edwin, died

prison.

4 Hamer, P. M., died.

History of Marlboro County. 225

Co,"C." Co. "H."

6 Calder, Arthur. 5 Heustiss, A. J., alive.

7 Calder, Stanford, alive. 6 John, P. M., alive.

8 Fletcher, J. D. 7 John, D. C, alive.

9 Fletcher, John K., alive. 8 John, J. T , alive.

10 McLaurin, J. F., alive. 9 Spears J. E., died 1865.

11 McColl, C. S., alive. 10 Quick, James.

12 Calhoun, D. A.

13 Sinclair, Daniel C.

14 Willoughby, J. P.

15 Sanders, Moses.

Roll of Company **D," 30 Regiment, South Carolina
State Troops. Junior Reserves. '

Captain.
Z. J. Drake.

Lieutenants.
E. H. Kirkwood, ist lieutenant, dead.
J. T. Rogers, 2d lieutenant. ;

T. F. McRae, 3d lieutenant.

Sergeants. ' "

R. S. McLucas. , '

Houston Manning, dead. '
G. W. Ervin.
Joseph H. Gooch, dead.

Corporals.

I. P. Gibson.

J. W. Welch.

John Lewis.

: "Allen Woodle.

J. N. Ediens.

"Commissary. . . ■

H. L. Edens, died near Raleigh, North Carolina-.

Privates.
Adams, T. M. . '

Adams, J. B.

Barentine, J. M, dead. / • ./

Breederi, J. F. - • .

Crosland, W. .E. ."

Carlisle, J. A. '■' > ':

226

History of Marlboro County.

Clark, Jesse, died near Charleston, South Carolina.
Chavis, Murray.
David, Wm. R.
Hodges, John L.
Manning, Holland.
Matheson, A. J.
McPherson, Arch.
McRae, William.
Newton, C. Dudley, dead.
Newton, Smith.
Newton, B. J.
Pegues, J. K., dead.
Parham, Malcom.
Powers, J. F.
Quick, J. W.
Quick, Welcome.
Quick, J. F.
Rogers, C. B.
Stubbs, L. D.
Sweat, Ellis.
Sturgis, Milton.
Taylor, John.
Guinn, Thomas.

Rev. Mr. Ogborne, Chaplain of Regiment, died at Fayette-
ville.

A careful recapitulation shows as follows:

c
— «

nlist-

offi-

men.

■^5

TJ ^

en ^

(U ..-O

Total
ment
cers ar

Co. "G," i8th Regt.

—

109

Co. "K," 8th Regt.

3.3

Co. "G," 23d Regt.

—

160

Co. "D," 26th Regt.

—

'47

125

Co. "F," 2ist Regt.

144

Co. "B," 24th Regt.

132

Co. "E," 4th Cavl.

142

Co. "I," . . .

—

Totals . .

120

183

170

161

358

1000

History of Marlboro Coutiiy. 227

The figures above show that 12 per cent, of the whole
number of men enlisted in all the commands were killed
in battle; 18 per cent, died during the war; 17 per cent,
have died since the war; 16 per cent, were wounded, and
about one-third of the number yet survive. Valuable assist-
ance has been kindly and freely rendered by the officers
and men in the preparation of the foregoing rolls, for
which thanks are due and hereby given.

CHAPTER XXX.

Early Ministers.

Since the first permanent settlers that we know of were
largely religious men, and organized a church on Mari-
boro's soil as early as 1738, it is proper that some notice
be made of the men who led their worship, and gave
direction to thought which resulted in the formation of
character. It is altogether likely that some of the early
pastors of the Old Welsh Neck church lived on the west
side of the Pee Dee and were never citizens of Marlboro. .
The people were settled on both sides, up and down the
river, and rejoiced, whether residents on one side or the
other, for many years, to meet upon its eastern bank to
worship God. The preachers lived upon their plantations;
whether on the one side or the other; to the flock it mat-
tered not. The river could be crossed in their little flat-
boats and canoes, and neighborhood and religious inter-
course be enjoyed. The first pastor of this church was
Philip James, and in a "Historical Sketch," by the late
pastor of the present Welsh Neck, Rev. John Stout, it is
recorded that lineal descendants of that man are found in
the present membership. Mr. James was born near Pen-
nepeck, Pennsylvania, in 1701 and was ordained pastor
over this church in 1743 by Messrs. Chandler and Sim-
mons. He died in 1753. Rev. John Brown, of whom
mention has been made in a previous chapter, was the
successor of Mr. James, but did not continue long
with the church, but gave his ministry to a field nearer
to his home in the region of Cashway. Mr. Brown was
the first Moderator of the Charleston Association, which
was formed in 1751, and is the second oldest Baptist Asso-
ciation in America. Joshua Edwards was the next pastor.

History of Marlboro County. 229

a native Welshman. He was baptized at Welsh Tract in
Pennsylvania and ordained at Welsh Neck. Mr. Ed-
wards "was a man of ardent piety and great purity of
character," lived to be fourscore and left a numerous
posterity; and from him have descended many good peo-
ple in our neighboring counties. Rev. Robt. Williams
was the fourth pastor of this old church. He was born,
it is said, in Northampton, North Carolina, in 1717, came
early to Pee Dee, and entered the ministry in 1752 and died
in 1788. In a sermon occasioned by his death, Rev. Mr. Pugh
said of him: "He was kind to the poor, and remarkably so
to the afflicted ; a man of excellent natural endowments, and
a minister who preached the Gospel to the edification and
comfort of souls, as many have testified to me; and to
crown all, a sincere Christian." He was the grandfather
of GeheraL David R. Williams, a member of Congress and
Goverhor of the State. He, too, is represented in several
of the best families in the country at the present day.

After Williams came Nicholas Bedgegood, an English-
man by birth, described as a classical scholar and a man
of go6d understanding. He married a Miss Murphy, and
Nicholas Bedgegood, of Marlboro, was the only child of
this marriage, and in the death of the latter the riame
becaihe extinct in this region of country. Mr. Bedgegood
todlc charge of the church in 1759, and held it till 1765;
and for two years he pre^iched in the vicinity of Charles-
ton: Returning to Welsh Neck in 1767, he again resunied
the care of the church and continued in office till his
death in 1773 or 1774. • •'

During the absence of Mr. Bedgegood in Charleston
the church was supplied by a young man who had but
just entered the ministry, but who was destined, to ex:ert
a powerful influence upon the after historyof his coutitry
and the cause of religion. Rev. Evan Pugh was born in
Pennsylvania, educated a Quaker, came in early
life to North Carolina, became a Baptist; studied

230 History of Marlboro County.

theology, became a minister, and married a Marlboro
lady, Miss Martha Magee. A daughter of this union
married Mr. Hugh Lide, of Darlington, and from this
pair has sprung a splendid family. The two Baptist
pastors of Charleston (1890) R. W. Lide and Dr. E. C.
Dargan, are grandsons. Mr. Pugh was an ardent sup-
porter of the American cause during the Revolution, and
was ready with his means, his voice, his pen, to encourage
and help the struggling cause. When independence and
peace came his fellow citizens elected him a member of
the Convention that formed the State constitution under
which we lived till the days of reconstruction. A man of
genuine piety, sound judgment and cheerful disposition,
after a ministry of forty years he sank into the tomb la-
niented by all.

After the death of Mr. Pugh, Rev. Elhanan Winchester
was in charge three or four years, but, embracing what the
church considered erroneous beliefs, he was promptly
discharged and Rev. Edmund Botsford was elected in his
stead, who, from 1779 until 1796, was the pastor of this
church. Temporarily, during the troublous times, he had
to flee for safety from the enemy, and his place was sup-
plied by Rev. Joshua Lewis, who was a Marlboro man.
Mr. Lewis has been described to the writer as a large,
portly man, an Englishman by birth, and lived at what
has been known as ''the Spring Hill place" on the Cheraw
road a mile or so above Easterling's Mills. A popular
man and good preacher, ready to go anywhere, among
the rich or poor, to relieve distress^. A venerable colored
man related an incident that greatly impressed his
own youthful, untutored mind. The gin-house of his
neighbor, Mr. Bedgegood, caught fire, and Lewis was
soon upon the ground, and as the old man told it, *'Mr.
Lewis worked and toiled and hollered and sweat as hard
as any nigger dar, and when the trouble wuz all over, he
called us all in the big house piazzer, and kneeled down

History of Marlboro County, 23 1

and prayed/* He preached at Cheraw and Saw Mill. His
last sermon was at the latter place. On the next Sunday
he was to preach at Cheraw, but sent a message to his
people that he was too sick to attend, and before night he
was dead. His grave, may be seen at "Old Saw Mill"
church to this day, near where the pulpit stood in which
he had so often preached the glad tidings to his neigh-
bors. He died about 1812 and left no children.

CHAPTER XXXI.
Churches— Baptist.

It has been shown in a previous chapter that the Co-
lonial Council of the Province of Carolina, in order to in-
duce the Welsh to settle in the Province, admeasured and
had laid off a large body of land for the Welsh settlers.
In 1736 or 1737 a colony of Welsh settled along the east
bank of the Pee Dee from the mouth of Crooked Creek
and extending several miles down the river. These early
Welsh settlers first planted Baptist principles upon Marl-
boro soil. In January, 1738, they met and organized
themselves into a Baptist church, calling it Welsh Neck.
The spot where the church stood is just to the right of
v/here the public road leadingfrom Bennettsville to Society
Hill approaches the banks of the Pee Dee River. It is
now covered by majestic trees and a thick undergrowth
hides the ground. Here repose the ashes of most of the
original colony, with many of their descendants. A monu-
ment marks the resting place of Col. Kolb, a Revolution-
ary patriot and officer, who was slain by Tories in the
porch of his mansion a few hundred yards from where
the ancient house of prayer then stood. It might be
interesting to take our stand at Long Bluff, the site of the
old church, and gather up the legends and traditions of
the times forty years after its organization, when wolves
and hyenas in human form stealthily crept around the
homes of the settlers to carry away their stock and prop-
erty and shoot them in the arms of their loved ones.
How, even then, a Pugh, a Williams, a Brown preached the
Word while the brethren watched for the approach of
armed forces that lurked around. None of these things
broke the spirits or damped the zeal of these early Bap-
tists.

History of Marlboro County . 233

This ancient church sent out several colonies organized
upoa the principles of the mother body. Brownsville,
Avhich was first called Cashway and situated nearer to and
lower down the river than where it now stands, was an off-
shoot from the old Welsh Neck. It was organized into a
church in 1789. "Old Brownsville church" stood a mile
or two east from where the present church now stands.
So that the present house of worship, which was built in
1858 or 1859, by H. G. Lucas, is the third one, all occu-
pying different locations, but in the same community.
In 1872 Brownsville church dismissed a number of her
members to constitute the Mineral Spring church, which
was formally dedicated June 30th, 1872.

Beaverdam (now McColl) was formed into a church in
the year 1771 by Henry Easterling at or near what is
known as Beauty Spot Bridge, and was called Beauty
Spot. From there they moved to Pine Grove, where they
worshipped in common with other denominations in a
house built by the Quakers or Society of Friends, who
left the house unoccupied and to be used as a place of
worship. It ultimately fell into the hands of the Metho-
dists and the little handful of Baptists worshipped for a
while at '*Parker's Machine," two miles above, near what
is known as Mason's Cross-roads. From there they
moved to the old site on Beaverdam Creek, near McColl,
and built a small framehouse which was standing as far
back as 1840. Soon after or about that time a better
building was erected, which was destroyed by the Federal
army in 1865. Some years after the war, another and
better building took the place of the one destroyed by
the army, and in 1891 it was removed without injury from
its old site and located in the town of McColl and re-dedi-
cated June 2 1st of that year.

Clio is mainly an offshoot from Beavercjam. It was
organized in 1873 or 1874 with members drawn largely
from Beaverdam.

234 History of Matlboro County.

The Baptist church at Tatum was organized a few years
ago with members almost exclusively from Beaverdam.
Tatum church was dedicated April 3d, 1892.

Salem Baptist church was constituted in part at least of
members from the **old Welsh Neck/' in 1793. Robert
Thomas, the grandfather of J. A. W. Thomas, was instru-
mental in founding the church. He lived in the Beauty
Spot region and was long and favorably known as a Bap-
tist preacher engaged in the holy calling before the
Revolutionary War began. He used to travel, generally
on horseback, extensively in the Pee Dee region in evan-
gelistic work, and at last died in i8i7,while away from home
on one of these preaching tours, at the advanced age
of 84. From its organization in 1793 to near the time of
his death, he ministered to the church at Salem. A new
house of worship was built in 1880.

The Bennettsville Baptist church traces her lineage
back to the "old Welsh Neck"; but did not spring direct-
ly from it, but from Cheraw. Cheraw was dismissed from
Welsh Neck and organized in 1782. "A part of the niem-
bership of Cheraw Hill church, desiring to become an
independent church, were regularly dismissed" and con-
stituted a church called the Saw Mill Baptist church in
December 1820. Saw Mill, now a colored church, is in the
immediate neighborhood of T. E. Dudley's Mill. When
constituted, steps had just been taken looking toward the
removal of the court-house to Bennettsville. At that
time the population was more dense along the river than
elsewhere; the only means of transportation for farm pro-
duce was by flatboats down the river to Charleston and
Georgetown or by wagons to Fayetteville. It was not
strange therefore that the church should be located in
that community. The court-house was removed to its
present location, and thither the tide of population Was
moving, and in the course of some years the church wisely
determined to remove its location to the county-seat. In

History of Marlboro Cottnty, 235

September, 1 832, this entry was made upon the minute book :
**The church met at new meeting-house in Bennettsville
Sermon by our pastor, C. Stubbs. Brethren present: C.
Stubbs, Thomas Stubbs, Jno. Thomas, M. Heustiss, L.
Harwell, W. Pearce, A. Lamb, J. Goodson, K. N. Bristow,
J. O. David, E. David, E. Curtis and Jno. Terrel." It is
not known when the pastorate of Rev. C. Stubbs first
began. He was in charge in 1829, before the removal to
Bennettsville; and here he continued, with but a short
interval, until 1837. "He was a man of great energy and
decision of character; a prudent counselor, and consider-
ing his early education, a good preacher. His ministry
here and elsewhere was successful, for he preached more
or less at all the churches in Marlboro." He was a pru-
dent man of business, and left a valuable estate to his
heirs. He died September, 1844, lamented by his breth-
ren. Mrs. B. A. Capel, and Messrs. W. H. and W. J.
Stubbs are his grandchildren.

In October, 1837, ^" event occurred which weakened the
pecuniary and numerical strength of the church. It was
the organization of an independent church at Bruton's
Fork. A new house was built at Bruton's Fork in 1878.

In 1839 Rev. W. Q. Beattie was called to the pastorate of
the Bennettsville church and continued in that relation for
fifteen years. He was an educated man, was born in the
North, came South, married and settled in the county, here
worked for his master and here died. The symmetry of
his character and the love of his heart were both beautiful;
yea, as beautiful as his snowy head and benignant smile.
In 1851 the steeple was built and other improvements
added to the church; and again in 1858 side galleries, new
seats and other improvements. In 1881^ a baptistry was
built, the pulpit moved to the opposite end of the house,
seats changed, and the church otherwise improved.

In 1888 a parsonage was purchased. The church was
enabled to make the purchase mainly on account of a be-

236 History of Marlboro County,

t . — ~"~

quest left the church by R. Q. Beattie, a son of Rev. W.
Q. Beattie. He willed ten per cent, of his estate to the
church, which amounted to nearly eight hundred dollars,
and thus the church came into the possession of a par-
sonage.

The church building was erected on a lot of land deeded
for that purpose by Wm. Munnerlyn, and was first occu-
pied in September, 1832. And now, just sixty-four years
from that date, and in the same month, the foundation has
been laid and the work progressing rapidly towards the
erection of a new brick building, which, when completed
and furnished, will cost ten thousand dollars. The gen-
erations preceding us built churches for us to worship in
and it is right that we should build for the generations yet
to come.

A Baptist church, called Hickory Grove, was organized
October 4, 1890, in the northeast section of the county.

A fond son will be excused for making prominent men-
tion of his father in connection with the Baptist churches
of Marlboro. The life of J. A. W. Thomas was so inter-
twined and interwoven with the life of the churches that a
sketch of the Baptist churches would necessarily be in-
complete without prominent mention being made of him.
The best years of his long life were given to the churches;
for them he lived; for them he died. Through summer's
burning heat or winter's chilling blast, year in and year
out, for forty-seven years he regularly met his appoint-
ments. Sickness a few times prevented, but inclement
weather was not considered by him a good reason for not
meeting an appointment to preach. He reasoned thus,
"A few may go and I dislike to disappoint even a few."

J. A. W. Thomas, the son of William Thomas and
Eleanor Evans, was born December 31st, 1822, in the
Brownsville section of Marlboro County. His father died
when he was less than thirteen years old, and being the
eldest of five childen, the care and support of the family

History of Marlboro County, 237

devolved in large measure upon him. His opportunities
for obtaining an education were therefore limited. He,
however, did attend irregularly the neighborhood schools
and when eighteen went for a part of a year to Wake Forest
College, North Carolina, and the balance of the same year
he attended school under Rev. W. R. Smith, a Methodist
preacher who taught at Parnassus. Two years after his
father's death the family left the Brownsville neighbor-
hood and moved to what is now called the Alford place,
in the immediate locality of old Pee Dee church. At the
age of fifteen he united with the Brownsville Baptist
church and was baptized by Rev. Campbell Stubbs. A
few months after, uniting with the church, he was elected
church clerk. In January 1845 ^^ changed his member-
ship from Brownsville church to Salem, and on the same
day was elected church clerk. He also for several years
served the Salem church as deacon, taking his turn in
leading the prayer-meetings and Sunday-school. In
August, 1848, license to preach the Gospel was granted
him by the Salem church. On Sunday night, September
lOth, 1848, his first sermon was' preached in the Bennetts-
ville church from John, 9:35. *'The Salem church, two
months after voting the license to preach, asked him to
preach for them twice a month; a call came from Browns-
ville to preach there once a month, and New Providence
church in Darlington County, thirty miles distant, asked
for the other Sunday." So, from the first, the young
preacher, as he was called, had as much as he could do.
On the memorable snowy Sunday April, 15, 1849, J- A.
W. Thomas was ordained to the full work of the gospel
ministry in the Salem church, and from that day forward
devoted his time to the active work of the gospel minis
try. His work has been done in his native county, ex*
cepting short periods of service done in counties adjoin-
ing Marlboro. It may not be inappropriate to give a

summary of the churches he has served and length of
17

238 History of Marlboro County.

time he served them. His ministerial work began first
with the Salem church, and then very soon after or about
the same time with the Brownsville church. He began
to serve these two churches in 1848, after he was liscensed
to preach, and before his ordination, and preached con-
tinuously at Salem till 1862. After an absence of three
and a half years in the army he resumed the pastorate of
Salem in 1867 and continued to serve the church till 1885,
making thirty-one years in all. Beginning in 1848, he
preached three years at Brownsville; and generally his
work there was in connection with Rev. Joel Allen,
who was the pastor of the church. For one year, begin-
ning in 1848, he went thirty miles from his home to New
Providence in Darlington county, and while there would
sometime preach at Hartsville, being perhaps the first to
preach a Baptist sermon at that place. In the autumn of
the year 1849 his services at Bennettsville began and con-
tinued without a break (except during the war) till 1882,
making thirty years service with the Bennettsville church.
His work for several years at first was in connection with
Rev. W. Q. Beattie, who was pastor of the church. He
preached thirty-one years, more or less continuously
at Bruton's Fork church, beginning there in 1852. Be-
ginning in i366 he preached at Cheraw for three years
giving them one Sunday in the month. Before the war
he preached for several years in the Sand Hills, in the
afternoon, going from Bennettsville once a month.

In 185 1 he began his work with the Beaverdam church
(now McCoU), and there his last days' work on earth was
done. It is likely that he preached more sermons to the
congregation of Beaverdam than to any other. His services
there extended through a period of thirty-six years. Dur-
ing the war, and for two years succeeding, he did not
preach at Beaverdam. For two years the Dargans, father
and son, were the pastors of that church, and for two oth-
er years, R. Ford was the pastor. But during all of the

History of Marlboro County, 239

other years, since and including 1851, up to the day of
his death, August 2, 1896, J. A. W. Thomas ministered ta
them in spiritual things. His last sermon there was from
the text found in i Samuel, 30:24. In the afternoon
of the same day he preached his last sermon to the
church at Tatum, from John 12: 19. Tatum is a new
church, which he was instrumental in founding, and ta
which he preached till his death, about seven years,,
preaching for about two years in the academy and the
Presbyterian church, till the Tatum Baptist church was
built.

He served the church at Gibson station in North Caro-
lina for about nine years. For about eight years he
preached at Mason's Cross-roads once a month in the af-
ternoon. Before the war he went in the afternoon of
one Sunday in every month to the Judson church in Ma-
rion for several years. Since the war he preached at Cat-^
fish church, in Marion County, for two years. The Clia
church he served for five years; and the church at Min-
eral Springs for perhaps ten or twelve— some of the time
in connection with other ministers. Other Baptist
preachers have been in the county and have had charge
of and acceptably ministered to different churches for long-
er or shorter periods. The Aliens, father and son, of
Marion County, Ford, Battle, Pratt, Jordan and Easter-
ling; but J. A. W. Thomas, through a long life, lived for
the churches, and worked for them, and with them and
was instrumental in the organization of several, and the
building and rebuilding of several more. In addition to
his work with and for the churches, since the year 1865,
he married two hundred and fourteen couples; and from
the beginning of the year 1881 to August, 1896, he attended
two hundred and fifteen funerals.

In the course of forty-eight (48) years in the ministry
he preached about 6,195 times, an average of one hundred
and twenty-nine sermons per year for each of the forty-

240 History of Marlboro County,

eight years; and an average of two and a half times for
every Sunday in the forty-eight years. He preached on
texts taken from every book in the Bible, including both
the Old and New Testaments ; the Psalms furnished the
largest number of texts, four hundred and eleven; while
the books of Ruth and Obadiah only furnished one each.
Five books furnished over two hundred each, six books
more than one hundred each, and eight books more than
fifty texts each, while twenty- seven books furnished ten
and less than fifty each. He always wrote his sermons
out in full, and estimated that his "written manuscripts
would make seventy volumes of four hundred pages
each." He prepared and wrote in full more new sermons
during the last years of his life than ever before. His
library has never been extensive, and his theology was
drawn largely from the Bible. He went into the Confed-
erate army from a sense of duty, and fought for a princi-
ple that he thought was right; but was thankful that he
was better known in the army as a preacher than as a
soldier. He preached constantly and on one occasion
baptized about forty in the surf on Sullivan's Island.

CHAPTER XXXII.
Methodist Churches.

A sketch of the Methodist churches of Marlboro prop-
erly begins with the Beauty Spot church, the mother of
Methodist churches. The first house of worship was built
there in 1783 on land given by Turbet Cottingham. It
was *'built of logs, covered with long boards held in place
by weight poles, and the seats were split pine logs." That
primitive church may have been inconvenient and uncom-
fortable, but the day of small things should never be de-
spised. The zeal and devotion there displayed by those
early Methodists has perhaps been an inspiration to those
coming after them: at all events, zeal and devotion to
their church and religion have characterized the Methodists
of Marlboro, and to-day they are stronger numerically
than all the other denominations combined. They have
twenty-two active churches, and all well located and act-
ively at work.

The first itinerant preachers who visited Beauty Spot
were Jeremiah Mastin and Hope Hull in the year 1783.
They at first preached in the private houses of the neigh-
borhood till the church was finished. The first Quarterly
Conference held at Beauty Spot was on 23d February,
1788. Bishop Asbury presided and preached from Isaiah
36: 1-6.

In 18 10 the congregation at Beauty Spot erected their
second church. It was a neat frame building. During
that year the first camp-meeting was held at Beauty Spot
and the last one held there was in 1842. Robert Purnell,
the first local preacher in Marlboro, was one of the early
members of Beauty Spot church. He preached in the
county for fifty years, and died in 1830. The name is

242 History of Marlboro County,

now extinct in the county, but his descendants are here.

The third church was built in 1839. It was 60x45. ^^^^
and cost more than $i,ioc. It was a large, roomy church
for that day and was used by the congregation forty-four
years. It was erected by John McCall, of Darlington,
under the supervision of Rev. Thomas Cook, Eli Thomas
and Thos. S. Covington. In 1883, when the fourth church
was built, a new site was selected on the same foad, but
two miles further east. When it was built the old church
was sold at public outcry, and purchased by a gentleman
who has not removed it, and there it stands to-day on the
sacred spot of ground where repose the ashes of those
who in the years gone by worshipped within its walls.
The present house of worship was completed and dedi-
cated June 17th, 1883. Rev. T. J. Clyde preached the
sermon and Rev. Lewis M. Hamer delivered an historical
address. The cost of the building was $2,000. It was
erected by Mr. Bounds, under the direction and care of
P. M. Hamer, Crawford Easterling, David Easterling and
L. D. Hamer.

Among some of the local preachers who have from time
to time preached at Beauty Spot may be mentioned A.
H. Adams, Wm. K. Breeden, Thomas Cook, Allen Edens,
John Jones, Chas. Manship, Cornelius Newton, Richard
Welch and Wright Wilson. Some of the prominent male
members were Eli Thomas, Robert Bolton, Jas. H. Bol-
ton, John H. Hamer, Thomas Cook, W. J. Cook, and John
Murdoch.

Hebron.

Hebron Methodist church is located in the center of
one of the garden spots of the county. The farms lying
adjacent to the church are very fertile and are cultivated
with great care and system. Highly respectable, indus-
trious and intelligent people live on the farms and justly
pdde themselvvs on being able to make an entire success

Hisiory of Marlboro County, 243

of farming. The church is about six miles southeast from
Bennettsville and was built in the year 1848. Its original
membership went out from Beauty Spot, the mother
church. The Hebron Academy building stands near the
church, and hard by is the cemetery, noted far and near
as being the neatest and best cared for cemetery in this
whole region of country. A few years ago, 1879, a hand-
some new church was erected.

About 1760 Ivy's church (now Clio) was situated near
what is now Dunbar. It was afterwards moved to a point
one mile below the town of Clio, and there they worshiped
until 1885, when a church was built in Clio. They have
had five churches. One was burned in 1866 by the incen-
diary's torch.

Parnassus.

In the years prior to 1835 the Methodists in the Par-
nassus community worshiped at Mossy Bay. The loca-
tion of the old church is yet well-known on account of the
graveyard. The dust of our forefathers buried there has
long since mingled with the mother earth. There they
worshipped; there they lie buried, and from thence their
bodies will arise on the great resurrection morn. The
site of the old church is in the immediate neighborhood
of J. R. Townsend's residence. In that day there was also
a Methodist church called **McLeod's church," located
near where Berry Alford lived. It was on the Mc-
Leod land, and was doubtless built by or through the in-
strumentality of Donald McLeod, grand-father of Mrs.
W. Z. Donaldson and D. McD. McLeod. During the
year 1835 a church was built at Parnassus; the member-
ship of Mossy Bay and "McLeod's" churches united and
made the new organization. The church was built by
John Sinclair, and the dedicatory sermon was preached
by Rev. Nicholas Ware, a local preacher who lived in the
Brownsville neighborhood and preached in the lower

244 History of Marlboro County,

section of the county. Our forefathers worshipped at both
of the old churches, and then our parents and grandpar-
ents attended the Parnassus church. Some of the prom-
inent members and attendants at Parnassus in the long
ago were Thomas Barnett, James Galloway, John L. Mc-
Rae, Thomas Kinney, Daniel John, James Spears and W.
R. Smith. The last named was a Methodist preacher and
lived in the neighborhood of the church and frequently
preached. The present church building was erected by
Mr. H. G. Lucas just prior to the late war. It is well lo-
cated, in a thickly populated community and has a large
membership of substantial, pious and devout people.

Zion church, located a few miles west from Parnassus,
near John C. Townsend's, has been organized and built
since the war, and belongs to the Blenheim Circuit.

Bennettsville Church.

On the 2ist of June, 1834, Col. Wm. J. Cook conveyed
one and a half acres of land to Thomas Cook, John L.
McRae, Wm. Dudley, John McCollum, Alexander J. Mil-
ler, Jas. C. Thomas and Alexander R. Brown, as trustees
for the Bennettsville Methodist church. The deed was
not recorded till 1846. It is fair to presume that the
church was built within a year or two after the conveyance
was made. The town of Bennettsville had even then be-
gun to show signs of growth and life, and the Methodists
residing in town up to that time had held their member-
ship at Beauty Spot. The members residing in Bennetts-
ville doubtless experienced some diflficulty in reaching
their place of worship, and influenced by the belief that
Bennettsville would some day grow to be a town of some
size and importance, wisely determined to build a church
in the young town . The Baptist congregation had just two
years previously built a new house, and this might have pro-
voked them to good works. Let the causes influencing them
be what they may, just ten years from the completion and

History of Marlboro County, 245

occupancy of the new court-house they took steps towards
the building of the/Zr^/ Methodist church . It seems strange
that the people of Bennettsville should have waited eight or
ten years after the completion of the court-house before a
church was built in the town. The Baptists living in the
town at that time worshiped at Saw Mill and had just
built a new church there in 1820; so it was natural that
they should wait awhile and be well convinced that Ben-
nettsville was to be a reality before beginning another
new house. But the Methodists needed a new house at
Beauty Spot when the town was founded, for in 1839 they
erected a new building at Beauty Spot.

The first church, built more than sixty years ago, was a
plain square building without steeple, portico or other
architectural adornments. It was covered on four sides,
forming a quadrangular roof, ending in a sharp point at
the apex. Two doors opened from the street and led you
directly into the body of the church. The house was
never painted and the bell was swung to a frame platform
outside the church. The singing was done by the
congregation without the aid of an organ or cornet. Major
Townsend or Judge Hudson, with the aid of a silver tun-
ing fork, could be relied on to "raise the tune." In the
"amen corner" of the church devoted to males (for males
and females each occupied their own portion of the church )
sat Col. Wm. J. Cook, Dr. Crosland, Wm. Dudley, John
McCollum, James C. .Thomas and Rev. Thomas Cook.
In the opposite corner sat Mrs. Fannie Easterling, Mrs.
Sarah Cook, Mrs. Jas. C. Thomas, Mrs. Little and Mrs.
Rowe. They have all gone to their reward.

About 1 87 1 the present building was erected on the site
occupied by the old church. It was made a station in
1883 and has been served byT. E. Wannamaker, J. L.
Stokes, J. W. Daniel, W. S. VVightman, E. O. Watson and
now (1897) is again under the care of Rev. J. L. Stokes.

246 History of Marlboro County,

BOYKIN.

A preaching place was established about one hundred
years ago at Boykin; about the same time a school was
established there and was taught by Lemuel Boykin, from
whom the place took its name.

A fine spring of freestone water near the church doubt-
less influenced the establishment of this educational and
religious center. The spring has been flowing through
all these years without cessation or diminution, yielding
from one hundred to two hundred gallons per hour of as
pure water as any in the country. It is not definitely
known when the first schoolhouse or church was built.
The earliest recollection of some of the oldest people in-
dicates a small log schoolhouse in which Barnabas Wal-
lace, afterwards a prominent planter in the vicinity,
taught. Many years before the war, a good framed school
building was erected, principally through the efforts of
Rev. Cornelius Newton, who lived about three miles
southeast of the place and always took a lively interest
in its educational affairs. About 1845 o** before, Robert
Fairly taught school for a number ot years at this place.
He was a famous teacher, and much loved by scholars
and patrons. He came from the Scotch settlement of
Richmond county, North Carolina. James Stewart also
taught here. He was a Scotchman and bachelor and
famous for his wit and peculiarities of disposition. Alex-
ander J. Stanton also taught there many years. He was
a man of positive disposition and wielded the ''rod" with
a master hand. He was Tax-collector for two terms
and died several years ago, leaving a large and interesting
family. Thomas W. Huckabee, who has been mentioned
elsewhere, taught there from about 1850 to 1855. And
various other men have occupied the teacher's chair in
that school, which has done its work in training the best
citizens this county has known.

History of Marlboro Cdunty, 247

There were three church buildings erected there from
the beginning; the first was built of hewn logs dove-tailed
at the corners; the second was a frame building about
30x40 feet, and it stood, as did the first, on the south side
of the road. This building was erected about 1830. It
had the usual high pulpit, and benches made from heavy
plank with a six-inch board about high enough to strike
the shoulder blades for a back. The last church, which
now stands there, was built in 1859 or i860 by H. G. Lu-
cas, who built several of the churches in the county and
died a few years ago at Parnassus, and was followed just
two days after by his wife. This church is 40x60 feet,
and is one the best church edifices in the county. It has
sheltered one of the largest memberships in this section
of country. Barnabas Wallace, Samuel Odom, Sr.;
Younger Newton, David C. Newton, Tobias Calder, John
W. Stubbs, Thomas Barrentine, Needham Ryal and oth- •
ers had their membership here in the generation before
the last. Of the last generation were such names as
James M. Gibson, Noah Gibson, Robertson Adams,
Jephtha Adams, Ebenezer W. Goodwin, Giles Newton,
Anderson Newton, William Peel. The last named could
neither read nor write at the age of nineteen years, when
he married, but began to study, learned to read and write
and has read the New Testament through one hundred
and fifty-eight times, word for word, since 1844.

James W. Gibson and Noah Gibson were brothers and
together with William, Eli,Ziba, Nelson M. and the Rev.
Thomas Gibson were the sons of Nathaniel Gibson. They
were all reared near the North Carolina line, and were
strong men, physically, intellectually and morally, and
have made their impress upon the communities in which
they have lived. The Rev. Thomas Gibson, who lived
over the line in North Carolina a few miles, was a surveyor
and a local minister of fine reputation. His labors in and
around Boykin church were abundant, and "none named

248 History of Marlboro County.

him but to praise." He was a sweet, spiritual, Christian
gentleman. All these brothers are dead except Eli, who is
seventy-two years of age and has been a member of the
Methodist church for fifty years, and Nelson M., of Mc-
Coll, who has reached his three-score and ten and calmly
awaits the summons to go up higher. He has been a
close personal friend of the author of this history for fifty
years, and has been frequently called "his Methodist
deacon at Beaverdam." The Gibson family is of English
extraction. Noah was, very successful as a merchant, and
by his skill in business and his industry amassed a large
fortune. He was the father of Francis B. Gibson, who is
his worthy successor in the mercantile business at Gibson^
North Carolina. Noah left several sons and daughters,
all of whom occupy prominent positions, in church and
society. James M. Gibson lived within about half a mile
of Boykin. church. He reared a large family and always
took a prominent part in church and school matters.
These and other prominent laymen among the Odoms
and Quicks and other families were reared under the in-
fluence of Boykin church, nearly all having crossed
over the river prior to this record. Most of them left
families and descendants who are worthily sustaining their
record for piety and good citizenship.

The traveling preachers who served this church were
those who were from time to time assigned to the Bennetts-
ville Circuit, and their names are given elsewhere in this
volume. Cornelius Newton, Henry Covington, Aaron Tur-
ner, James Turner and James Odom were local preachers
who. were members here and did their faithful work here
and in other parts of Marlboro, and even across the North
Carolina line. Cornelius Newton married the daughter
of Rev. Robt. Purnell, who is elsewhere named as the
pioneer local preacher of the Beauty Spot section. Cor-
nelius Newton was born 25th December, 1797; was a son
of Younger Newton and grandson of Giles Newton, Sr.^

History of Marlboro County, 249

who came to this county from Henrico County, Virginia,
in the latter part of the last century, and was the great pro-
genitor of all the Newton family in this country, which
has grown to great proportions and intermarried with the
Adams, Gibsons, Fletchers, etc., till its relations number
in the hundreds, perhaps. Cornelius Newton is the only
one of the local preachers whose complete history we have
been able to get. He was married, as stated, to a daughter
(Dorcas) of Robt. Purnell on 31st December, 1818, and
joined the church in the summer of 1820, and embraced
religion in October, 182 1, appointed class leader in 1822
and licensed to exhort in 1830; licensed to preach in 1834;
ordained Deacon in 1838; and was recommended for El-
ders' Orders in 1842. He reared a large and interesting
family, many of whom still survive; among them Cor-
nelius D. Newton, Joseph Newton and Hope Hull New-
ton. He was a successful planter and a faithful soldier
of the cross, and after **having served his own generation,
by the will of God fell on sleep*' in the summer of 1878.
Among those who labored in this vicinity in later years
as local preachers were Wm. K. Breeden, who lived in
the Smyrna section, and Andrew Adams, who still survives
and was born and reared in the vicinity of Boykin church.
Who can tell how much the local preacher has had to do
with the successful growth of Methodism in this and other
sections?

Boykin, sixty years ago or more, was a famous camp-
meeting place, and during these annual summer convo-
cations, ministers, local and itinerant, went from other
sections of country and heartily engaged in the services.
Time and space both forbid telling more of the history of
this church and community. A chosen people; a chosen
land, and the deepest spiritual influences from time imme-
morial are enough to evolve a superior type of Christian
civilization, just such as has long been and doubtless will
continue to be in the vicinity of Boykin church.

250 History of Marlboro County,

Ebenezer.

About 1856 or 1857 Rev. P. E. Bishop, the pastor of
the Bennettsville Presbyterian church, appreciating the
fact that a section a few miles south from Bennettsville
was comparatively destitute of Gospel privileges, deter-
mined to carry the Gospel to that community. He was
assisted in his efforts by Rev. Paul F. Kistler and Rev. J.
A. W. Thomas, and a union church was built. It was
called Pine Plains and services held alternately by the
three preachers named. The Methodist faith largely pre-
dominated in the community and Rev. P. F. Kistler was
doubtless the first preacher to preach a sermon to the
congregation which formed the Ebenezer M. E. Church.
His first sermon was preached beneath the spreading
branches of a large oak tree, near the spot where the
church now stands. About the year 1858 the first church
was built, and the dedicatory sermon preached by him.
Rev. Mr. Kistler yet lingers on the shores of time, and
resides at Bamberg, S. C. He married a sister of Dr.
J. T. Jennings, of Bennnettsville. The membership
came from Beauty Spot and Hebron. About 1892 the
old church was sold to Mr. R. M. Edens and a new house
built on the site of the old one. The Ebenezer church
belongs to the Blenheim Circuit.

Bethel.

Bethel M. E. church was built in 1875 or 1876, during
the pastorate of Rev. J. M. Carlisle. He gave it the name
and told the people how to pronounce it, and im-
pressed upon the people the fact that the accent
should be placed on the last syllable, and that a hyphen
should be placed between the two. Bethel is really old
Level Green with a changed name and location. Level
Green church stood where George M. Webster now re-
sides. The land (one acre) upon which it stood was,
upon the 28th day of August 1844, deeded to John Jones,

History of MarUwro County. 251

Philip Barrentine, James Moon, H. H. Williams, Benjamin
Moon as trustees, by Ananias Graham and wife. The
church was therefore built about 1845, ^"^ ^^^ menabcr-
ship went from Beauty Spot, the mother of Methodist
churches, and from Bennettsville, which had been built a
few years before. From son^e cause Level Green
languished, and perhaps died, but its successor, Bethel, is
destined to be a strong church. It is in a thickly settled
community of prosperous young farmers who will be able
and willing to give it their support.

Breeden*s Chapel.

Not many years ago Mr. Joel Hall and others built a
brush arbor, and invited the Rev. Wm. K. Breeden to
preach for them. He preached for sometime under the
arbor, but Mr. Hall, not being satisfied, determined in his
old age to have a church near him; he canvassed the
country for subscriptions and donations, was successful,
and to-day there stands on the hill, just in front of his
late residence, a large, beautiful church bearing the ap-
propriate name of Breeden's Chapel, and long may it
stand among the lonely pines, a monument to the efforts
of Mr. Hall, and of the piety. Christian character, and
Godly labors of the man whose name it bears. The
church was built in 1887. They have both gone to their
reward; Mr. Hall several years ago, and Mr. Breeden in
1896. From the time Mr. Breeden entered the ministry
in the early sixties to the time of his death, his life was
full of useful work.

Bethlehem.

The history of Bethlehem M. E. church, in the extreme
southern part of the county, is similar to that of other
churches. They began with a log house. The date of
organization is not known; but it is well known that our
fathers attended a camp-meeting held there in their youth.

252 History of Marlboro County.

and that would make Bethlehem one of the old churches.
They have had at least three houses of worship. The
present house was built by H. G. Lucas about 1858 or 1859.

Smyrna.

Smyrna was first located a few hundred yards from
where it now stands, and quite near to J. F. Breeden's
place, formerly the Wm. Pearson place. A house was
built where the church now stands, about 1846 or 1848 for
a gentleman, not now a youth, remembers attending service
there the 15th of April, 1849, '*the day of the big snow"
in April. His recollection is that the church was new
and had but recently been completed. The present
church was built by Samuel Sparks in 1884. Mr. Sparks,
while building it, fell from a scaffold, and was quite badly
hurt.

Pine Grove.

It is safe to say that Pine Grove has been a place. of
worship for more than a century. The Quakers first
worshipped there, but, as has been already told, on account
of slavery they moved to the Northwest and the other
denominations used their house. Rev. Cornelius Newton
remembered attending a revival meeting held jointly by
the Baptists and Methodists early in the present century
at what is now Pine Grove church. During the progress
of the meeting a "young man, riding in a gig, came up to
the meeting ground, alighted and made his way into the
congregation near the altar, and paid very respectful at-
tention to the services then in progress. After the close
of the services, his acquaintance was sought, and it was
ascertained that he was a Baptist minister (Rev. W. Q.
Beattie) who had just finished his education and journeyed
South to preach the Gospel. He was invited to preach at
the next service, and he charmed the whole congregation
with his graceful speech and melting words, and many
were the shouts that were raised as he eloquently por-

History of Marlboro County. 253

trayed the glories of salvation, and when he would have
ceased, cries of *go on,* 'go on,' spontaneously arose
from the congregation."

It has not been ascertained when the present church
or the ones preceding it were built. In 1871 and a
few years succeeding, a camp-meeting was held at Pine
Grove — the last held in the county but perhaps not the
first held at Pine Grove.

A good school has for many years been kept up at Pine
Grove. The Academy is just across the road opposite
to the church, both being in a beautiful grove of majestic
oaks. Under such men as Robert Johnson, J. Monroe
Johnson, Hope Newton, Hamilton, Craven and others,
along with the unanimous hearty support of the patrons,
educational as well as religious interests have been main-
tained at Pine Grove.

There are a number of other Methodist churches in
Marlboro, but the difficulty of obtaining information, and
the lack of space, will preclude a more extended notice
than a mere mention of their names. Antioch, Hickory
Grove, Shiloh, New Hope, Beulah, Manning's Chapel,
Pleasant Hill, Oak Grove, and McColl.

In the preparation of the foregoing chapter invaluable
assistance has been kindly rendered by Rev. L. M. Hamer,
Rev. J. L. Stokes, H. H. Newton and others.

Circuits and Preachers.

The circuit embracing the churches of Marlboro was

first called Pee Dee. It embraced territory lying North

at least as far as Rockingham, and presumably extended

down the Pee Dee river, perhaps to its mouth. The name

was changed from Pee Dee to Rockingham Circuit in

1832, and a parsonage established at Rockingham. At

the close of the year 1845 ^^e circuit was reduced in size

and the name changed to Bennettsville. A parsonage

was built in Bennettsville, and H. H. Durant was the first
18

254 History of Marlboro County.

preacher to occupy it in 1846. At that time Bennettsville
Circuit doubtless embraced all the churches located in
Marlboro. Now the same territory is covered by five
circuits and one station; named as follows: Bennettsville
Station, and Bennettsville, Brightsville, North Marlboro^
Blenheim and Clio Circuits. Bennettsville was made a
station in December 1883. The pastors have been T E.
Wannamaker, 1884; J- L. Stokes, 1885-6; J. W. DanieU
1887-90; W. S. Wightman, 1891-2; E. O. Watson, 1893-95;
J. L. Stokes, 1896, and now serving. The parsonage
originally stood on the same street and and just south
from Judge Hudson's, on the lot now belonging to Mrs.
Barnes. It was sold and another built on the opposite
side of the same street. In a few years it was disposed
of, and a handsome two-story structure erected in East
Bennettsville.

Bennettsville Circuit is now composed of four churches^
Pine Grove, McColl, Beauty Spot and Smyrna. The
parsonage is located at McColl.

Brightsville Circuit was set apart from Bennettsville
Circuit in 1849, ^"^ ^s composed of Boykin, Bethel, Anti-
och and Breeden's Chapel. The parsonage is near Gibson
Station, North Carolina. This Circuit has been served
by G. M. Boyd, R. W. Barber, P. A. Murray and B. M.
Grier.

The churches in North Marlboro Circuit are New
Hope, Oak Grove, Ebenezer, Shiloh and Pleasant Hill.

Clio Circuit was first known as South Marlboro, and was
a part of the Bennettsville Circuit till 1874. The churches
now composing it are Clio, Bethlehem, Beulah, and Man-
ning's Chapel. The parsonage is at Clio. The preachers
who have had charge are J. T. Kilgo, G. T. Harmon, J.
C. Bissell, G. M. Boyd, D. D. Dantzler, F. Auld, R. A.
Child, John Owen and J. B. Traywick.

Blenheim Circuit was a part of the Clio Circuit until
the close of the year 1887. The churches forming it are

History of Marlboro County, 255

Hebron, Parnassus, Ebenezer and Zion. G. M. Boyd,
W. H. Kirton, J. A. Porter, J. W. Ariail, L. F. Beaty, T.
G. Herbert, Sr., and P. B. Wells are the preachers who
have been in charge. The parsonage is located at Blen-
heim.

The following list gives the names and date of service
of the preachers who have had charge of the Bennetts-
ville Circuit since the year 182 1 and up to date.

1821 John Boswell and Tradewell.

1822 Jeremiah Norman and Morgan C. Turrentine.

1823 John Boswell and Malcom McPherson.

1824 Nicholas Ware and Elias Sinclair.

1825 Elias Sinclair.

1826 J. L. Jerry and J. Hartley.

1827 Joseph Moon and W. T. Smith.

1828 Groover, W. M. Wightman and Culver-^

house.

1829 John H.Robeson, Humbert and Wm. Mur-

rah.

1830 Noah Lany, Samuel W. Capers and John McColl.

183 1 Wm. King, Jackey M. Bradley and Boseman.

1832 Wm. King, Allen and Wm. Whitby.

1833 Joel W. Townsend and John L. Smith.

1834 John Watts and J. W. Welbourn.

1835 Allen McCorquodale and A. W. Walker.

1836 John H. Roberson and Thos. Sumter DanieL

1837 John H. Roberson and John McMackin.

1838 Chas. S. Walker and Paul A. M. Williams.

1839 Theophilus Huggins and Wm. C. Clark.

1840 Wm. T. Harrison and Wm. A. McSwain.

1841 Abe) Hoyle and Miles Pucket.

1842 Ira L. Potter and A. Richardson.

1843 Jacob B. Anthony and John W. Vandiver.

1844 Lark O'Neal.

1845 M- Robbins and Robt. J. Limehouse.

1846 Henry H. Durant.

2s6 History of Marlboro County,

. » -

1847 Marcus A. McKibben.

1848 Dennis J. Simmons.

1849 James W. Wightman.

1850 John A. Porter.

1851 Jackey M. Bradley.

1852 John H. Zimmerman.

1853 Robert P. Franks.

1854 Lewis M. Little.

185s Lewis M. Little and John W. Crider.

1856 Henry M. Mood and John W. Crider.

1857 Henry M. Mood and J. E. W. Fripp.

1858 Paul F. Kistlerand J. M. Cline.

1859 Paul F. Kistler and E. F. Thwing.
i860 R. R. Pegues and A. H. Harmon.

1861 R. R. Pegues and Allston.

1862 Tracy R. Walsh and J. B. Campbell.

1863 Tracy R. Walsh and R. R. Pegues.

1864 J. A. Porter and M. C. Davis.

1865 J. A. Porter and M. C. Davis.

1866 T. R. Walsh and A. McCorquodale.

1867 T. R. Walsh and R. R. Pegues.

1868 M. L. Banks.
1869-1870 Claudus H. Prichard.

1871 John A. Porter.

1872 J. A. Porter and J. F. England.

1873 John A. Mood and L. M. Hamer.

1874 John A. Mood and Dove Tiller.

1875 J^hn M. Carlisle and J. L. Stokes.

1876 John M. Carlisle and D. G. Dantzler,

1877 Thomas Mitchell and Thomas E. Gilbert.

1878 Thomas Mitchell and J. W. Tarbox.

1879 T. Mitchell and F. Hauser.

1880 J. W. Murray and Graham.

r88i J. W. Murray and P. B. Murray.

1882 J. W. Murray and J. E. Beard.

1883 Thomas J. Clyde and John C. Kilgo

History of Marlboro County. 257

1884 Thomas J. Clyde and J. A. Harmon.

1885 Thomas J. Clyde and E. G. Price.

1886 Thomas J. Clyde and E. O. Watson.

1887 James C. Stoll and John A. Rice.

1888 James C. Stoll.

1889 George M. Boyd.

1890 W. H. Kirton.
1891-1894 W. S. Martin.

1 895- 1 896 J. S. Beaseley.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Presbyterian Churches.

Great Pee Dee Presbyterian church, now located at
Blenheim, is considered the parent church of the Bennetts-
ville Presbyterian church. The old church yet stands
five miles from Bennettsville on the public road leading
from Bennettsville to Blenheim. The Great Pee Dee
church, being inconvenient for the worshippers living at
Bennettsville, in 1852 measures were adopted looking
towards the erection of a building in Bennettsville. A
lot measuring one acre, fronting Marion street, was pur-
chased of Hartwell Ayer, for $150.00, and the deed taken
in the name of L. B. Prince and George Dudley, on Octo-
ber 5, 1852. Subscriptions were made by the members
in Marlboro, Cheraw, and by others friendly to the ob-
ject. Messrs. W. D. Johnson, Chas. A. Thornwell, Neil
McNeil, Geo. Dudley and J. Beatty Jennings acted as a
building committee. Messrs. Jones and Lee, architects
of Charleston, S. C, furnished the plan, and the work
was let to D. A. Boyd, of Virginia, the lowest bidder, at
$2,800.00 On May 12, 1855, the church was dedicated.
Rev. Jno. C. Coit conducted the service, being assisted
by Rev. A. D. Campbell. The Bennettsville church was
placed under the jurisdiction of the Harmony Presbytery
of the South Carolina Synod. Through a petition pre-
sented by Alexander Southerland and others, and by
order of Presbytery a committee composed of G. C.
Gregg, J. A. Wallace and A. D. Campbell was appointed
to organize the church on the ist of December, 1855.
Dr. James H. Thornwell was present and aided in the
service. W. D. Johnson and J. Beatty Jennings were elected
ruling elders and obligated by Dr. Thornwell. Rev.

History of Marlboro County. 259

A. D. Campbell acted. for a few months as stated supply,
and a call having been accepted by Rev. Pierpont E.
Bishop, on 19th of April, 1856, he was installed as pastor.
Rev. P. E. Bishop served the church acceptably and
faithfully till March 5th, 1859, when in the vigor and
prime of manhood, and in the zenith of his usefulness he
was taken away by pneumonia. His ashes now repose in
the churchyard by the side of his wife.

On November loth, i860. Rev. Charlton W. Wilson was
installed pastor of the church. He died at Petersburg,
Va., June 4th, 1864, a chaplain in the Confederate army
In 1870, Rev. E. H. Buist was stated supply; and in the
early part of 1871 Rev. Joseph Evans became stated sup-
ply for the church. On the 21st of November, 1874, Rev.
D. S. McAlister was installed pastor, and continued in
that relation till December 6, 1881, when he resigned the
charge of the church. April 2, 1882, Rev. W. B. Corbett
became stated supply, and continued till his death, April,
1894.

From May 12th, 1855, 156 members have been enrolled,
including the organization and those admitted on exami-
nation and by letter. Baptism has been administered to
forty-nine adults and infants. There are fifty-two mem-
bers in good standing, enrolled and living, of which num-
ber thirty-four per cent have been added during the first
six months of 1896.

Samuel E. Bishop and W. Beatty Jennings have gone
out as ministers of the Gospel from this church.

About the year 1832 Archibald McQueen, a Presbyterian
preacher residing in North Carolina, came to this county
at stated times and preached dt what was known as the
"Old Club House.** It stood not far distant from Drake*s
Mill, which then belonged to the Campbells. What the
**Club House'* was originally erected for we are not ad-
vised, but the presumption is that there was a **race track"
in the vicinity. At all events Gen. Robert B. Campbell,

26o History of Marlboro County.

who owned the land upon which the **Club House" stood,
was not averse to having services held there on Sundays,
and for a time the arrangement continued.' But from
some cause, not now known, services were afterwards
held near where Hill's store was, in the vicinity of Zion
church. But about the year 1834 the great Pee Dee church
was built, and the membership to whom Mr. McQueen had
been preaching was organized into a church. Mr. Mc-
Queen was the first pastor. D. G. Coit, who married Miss
Maria Campbell, was ruling elder. The Campbell fam-
ilies, McQueens, B. N. Rogers, McLeods, Sparks, Drakes
and Mathesons have been members and supporters of the
church. About 1855 the Bennettsville Presbyterian church
was organized and the strength of Great Pee Dee weak-
ened by the removal of quite a number to Bennettsville,
prominent among whom were W. D. Johnson, Alexander
Southerland and Dr. J. B. Jennings. The names of some
of the preachers who have supplied the pulpit of Great
Pee Dee church for longer or shorter periods are Revs.
Archibald McQueen, P. E. Bishop, C. W. Wilson, A. D.
Campbell, Martin Brearley, Cousar, McAlister and Rich-
ards. About 1882 a new Presbyterian church was built at
Ble^jheim and the old Pee Dee church sold to the colored
people.

The Presbyterian church at Tatum Wc^s organized in the
Academy building June 15th, J890, and for about a year
they worshipped in the Academy. In the spring of 1891
the church was completed and dedicated. Rev. H. G.
Hill, D. D., officiating in the services. It was the first
church built in the town and is out of debt. Rev. W. B.
Corbett was the pastor from its organization till his death
in 1894. For the last two years the pulpit has been sup-
plied by Revs. Brearley, Gillespie and Arrowwood.
Red Bluff.

Early in, the present century there was a Presbyterian
church at Red Bluff. It has been shown elsewhere in

History of Marlboro County, 261

these pages that a good many Scotch people came to this
county soon after the Revolution, and settled mainly in
the eastern portion of the county along the Little Pee
Dee River; and, having brought the Presbyterian faith
along with them, they would naturally soon want a church
of that faith to worship in. The first church was situ-
ated on the bank of the stream at Red Bluff. It is well
authenticated that it stood there as far back as 1817, and
might have been built some years previous to that date.
The old building was not torn down till about i860. For
a good many years before that (perhaps twenty or more)
the congregation had not worshipped there, but had moved
their membership to Smyrna, a church in Robeson County
only a few miles distant. Near the site of the old church
is the burying ground, where the Scotch people of that
community have been interred, and McLaurins and others
have been carried there from other communities to find
their last resting place.

The second church, bearing the name of Red Bluff, oc-
cupied a site two miles or more west from the old one,
and was built about 1857 or 1859. The land upon which
it stood was conveyed by Solomon L. McColl for that
purpose, and when no longer used as the site for the
church, was to revert back to his heirs. It was a new or-
ganization, the members of the old church, as already
mentioned, having gone to Smyrna. It was organized
and built, perhaps, through the instrumentality of Rev.
P. E. Bishop, who for several years previously had been
pastor of the Bennettsville church. The land upon which
the church stood is now owned by D. D. McColl, of Ben-
nettsville, who recently deeded a spot of ground near by
for a burial ground.

Soon after the founding of the town of McColl (about
1886) it was determined to constitute a church at that
place. It was accordingly done, and the membership of
the new organization was made made up largely of mem-

262 History of Marlboro County.

bers of the Red Bluff church. From members originally
forming Red Bluff, McCoU and Tatum Presbyterian
churches have both been organized.

Within the last few years a new Presbyterian church has
been built at Dunbar, a station on the Latta & Clio branch
of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

Capt. T. E. Dudley, Dr. J. C. McKenzie and others have
given assistance much appreciated in the preparation of
this chapter.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

McCOLL.

The prosperous and thriving town of McColl is situated
on the eastern border of Marlboro County, only one and a
half miles from the North Carolina line, and about ten
miles from Bennettsville. It lies between Beaverdam and
Panther Creeks, and is immediately upon the C. F. & Y. V.
R. R. Eleven years ago, in 1884, the people in that com-
munity had no idea that a town of such considerable pro-
portions would grow up in their midst so soon, but about
that time the railroad was being built from Fayetteville in
the direction of Bennettsville, and T. B. Gibson and J. F.
McLaurin, in order to induce them to locate a depot at
this point, offered to build a depot and subscribe to the
stock of the company. They were ably assisted in their
efforts by others in the community. In 1884, therefore,
the depot was built, which was the first house erected in
the town. Mr. Gibson had some time previously
exchanged places with his brother, 1. P. Gibson, and fhe
railroad passed across the lower end of his tract, and a site
for the depot was selected and located on his land,
and so the town of McColl had its beginning. It was
named in honor of D. D. McColl, of Bennettsville, who
during the time of building and for a while afterwards,
was the president of the S. C. Pacific Ry., the South
Carolina division of the C. F. & Y. V. R. R. A little less
than a dozen years ago, where Mr. Gibson was grow-
ing fine corn and cotton, to-day stands the growing
and prosperous, plucky and pushing town of McColl. In
proportion to its size and age, the town of McColl has,
perhaps, more strikingly handsome and well-appointed
houses than any town in the State. "One is struck with

264 History of Marlboro County,

the fact at McColl that the proper start was made in
most things/' This is particularly true of the churches
and schools. Three comfortable and commodious
churches, Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist, adorn the
town ; while "the McColl High School was organized about
the time the town was founded and has grown up with
the town." The school building is large, well built and
comfortable, and is under the supervision and control of
Prof. Craven. Nothing in the community commands a
greater share of the interest of the citizens than the
McColl High School.

The town of McColl is lucky in having a number of
men of fine business capacity who do thoroughly and
well what they undertake. Mr. Frank P. Tatum, a na-
tive of North Carolina, is one of the leaders in enterprises
calculated to help the town. He located in Marlboro
about 1867, and is now a farmer, merchant, cotton-buyer,
liveryman, and president of the McColl Manufacturing
Co. He runs a farm of eighteen plows, and conducts a
very large and successful mercantile business. T. B. Gib-
son, his son-in-law, was born not very many years ago,
within a few hundred yards of the business center of the
town; and though comparatively a young man, has a ma-
ture business headset firmly on his shoulders. He is one
of the leading successful merchants of the place. Mr. P.
Mangum came from Chesterfield to Marlboro a number
of years ago, and lived a few miles north of McColl, but
judiciously decided to make McColl his home. He man-
ufactured the brick from which his handsome and im-
posing residence was built. Mr. Arch K. Odom is
his partner in the mercantile business. Mr. J. F. Mc-
Laurin was born in the immediate neighborhood of Mc-
Coll, and is a son of the late Capt. Loch McLaurin. He
represented the county in the Legislature during the last
term, and has been re-elected for the term of 1897-98.
.Mr. McLaurin has been merchandising about eight years.

History of Marlboro Coufity. 265

and is doing business in a handsome two-story brick
store, built of brick manufactured at his yards. A. W.
Morrison & Co. may be ranked among the leading busi-
ness establishments of the town. Mr. Jeff D. Morrison
is the junior member of the firm. Among the other bus-
iness houses in McCoU may be mentioned J. E. Willis,
Luther McLaurin, Lane & Bristow, W. M. Gibson, Lester
Sisters, J. I. Vick, J. F. Stubbs, and W. T. Smith.

One of the chief reasons, and perhaps the principal
one, why McColl has grown so rapidly and prospered so
well, is the fact that magnificent farming lands, rarely
equaled for productiveness and fertility, stretch out on
every hand, and this, with the further important consid-
eration that the people who own those lands work them
judiciously, intelligently and industriously. Bounteous
harvests, as a natural consequence of well-ordered and in-
telligent labor, bring prosperity and content. Thrift,
prosperity, fine management, and a proper regard to com-
fort and convenience, are all shown in the **fine orchards,
splendid stock," magnificent cotton and corn fields, num-
erous and large out-buildings, and handsome, convenient
and well-arranged dwelling-houses. Farming in the
McColl neighborhood means a bounteous and generous
.home support, and a handsome surplus for sale, and con-
sequently but few of the farmers trade on time. The
merchants therefore handle cash, instead of bad accounts,
and hence they prosper. Marlboro lands, Marlboro
methods, and McColl farmers make success and pros-
perity sure for the town of McColl. The Gibsons, Mc-
Laurins, Fletchers, Willises, Tatums, Parkers, farm to
some purpose and profit.

The McColl Manufacturing Company, located in the
town of McColl, the only cotton mill in Marlboro, is
owned and managed almost entirely by citizens of
Marlboro. It is spinning Marlboro cotton into a fine
grade of yarn at the rate of fifty bales a day, **In

266 History of Marlboro County,

the springy of 1892 the first wing of the mafn building was
completed, and the machinery put in motion. The main
building is now a brick structure 88 by 303 feet, with
opening and lapper room 50 by 80 feet, packing room 40
by 40 feet, and machine shops 30 by 50 feet " It is run
by a Corliss engine of 250 horse-power, having three large
boilers of 100 horse- power each. The finest English and
American machinery was purchased. It is supplied with
all the latest and most improved devices for insuring
safety against fire, and illuminated throughout by elec-
tricity. Three hundred operatives are employed,
who live in comfortable cottages, erected on land
belonging to the mill. The mill runs day and night, and
a ready market is found for the entire product of the mill.
Mr. F. P. Tatumis thePresidentof the mill, and T. B. Gib-
son its Secretary and Treasurer, who, together with D. D.
McColl,C. S. McCoU, E. Strudwick, W. W. Goodman, Eli
Willis, T. H. Bethea, and A. W. Morrison are the directors,
whose work have accomplished such satisfactorily results.
^'Messrs. F. P. Tatum and T. B. Gibson, and a few other
citizens of McColl are the men who hesitated not to
navigate this large undertaking to its present successful
condition. It took pluck, ability and money more than
once to overcome the obstacles, but one of the best man-
aged and most successful mills in South Carolina to-day
tells the story of the fight and victory." The court-house
town no longer dominates the whole county, or absorbs
all its business. Towns grow up at the railroad stations,
and at the site of a cotton mill, and by reason of their
churches and schools, and by reason of their more inti-
mate connection and association with the surrounding
community, are becoming centers of influence and trade,
and are able and willing to enter into business competi-
tion with the county seat, though often larger and more
pretentious.
While the McColl Manufacturing Company is the

History of Marlboro County, 267

only cotton mill in Marlboro to-day, yet two others
have been built. The first cotton mill built in Marlboro
was at the "Burnt Factory/' lately the property of Mr.
Aaron Manship. It was built by a joint stock company
composed of Col. Williams, of Society Hill; John Taylor,
of Cheraw; John McQueen and William T. Ellerbe, of
Marlboro, in the year 1836. In 1840 Meekin Townsend,
father of R. E., C. P. and Walter, acquired an interest in
the "factory," as it was called, and about 1845 he purchas-
ed it. It was burned in 1852, and the same year Mr.
Townsend died. Another cotton mill was erected a few
years after the war, at what has been known as Medlin's
Spring (property now owned by Rev. Mr. Kirton) by a
man named Cameron, but the mill was burnt about the
time of its completion. It is hoped that other mills will
be erected and operated in the county, for where the
staple is grown there it should be manufactured; and the
pluck of the McColl people ought to be a stimulus to
others to do as they have done.

It has been mentioned elsewhere in these pages that
William Leggett, the grandfather of James S. Leggett, of
Clio, lived about the time of the Revolutionary War at or
near what is now McLaurin's Mill, and owned land lying
between Beaverdam and Panther Creeks. It would be in-
teresting if we could show how much of the land lying
south of the town of McColl he owned, and to whom he
sold, and the changes that have taken place in the owner-
ship of the land since his time. The land lying south of
the town, and now in the possession of John F. McLaurin
was once owned by Robert Hamer and conveyed by him
to Bennett R. Jackson and from him to the late Captain
Lock McLaurin, the father of John F. Esquire Pipkin,
the father of Mrs. N. M. Gibson, owned several hundred
acres of land, a part of which land Mr. N. M. Gibson pur-
chased at the partition sale of the estate of Esquire Pip-
kin and the central and northern portion of the town is

268 History of Marlboro County.

located upon that land. Lying north and east from the
lands formerly owned by Esquire Pipkin and extending
to and even beyond the Adamsville road, covering several
square miles and several thousand acres of land, Moses
Parker, the grandfather of Capt. John R. Parker, claimed
as his own. Capt. Parker now lives on lands set off as
dower to his grandmother, and has no intention of trans-
ferring his possessions to other hands. Mr. F. P. Tatum
purchased his plantation lying just east from McColl from
the late Isaac Pipkin, and while Mr. Pipkin might have
sometimes regretted the sale, it is safe to say that Mr.
Tatum has not regretted the purchase. Lying west from
McColl are the beautiful plantations of H. L. B. McColl,
T. H. Bethea, W. P. Lester, and then the plantation of
R. J. Tatum. Then you come to the thriving town
of Tatum, so named from Richard J. Tatum, who a num-
ber of years ago came from North Carolina and made his
home in Marlboro. He married the daughter of the late
Jesse Bethea, of Adamsville, and settled where he now
resides. The town grew up at his very door; the depot
and most of the town being on Hamer lands. There are
two handiSome churches, a large, roomy school building,
a half dozen store houses and quite a number of com-
fortable residences. Fine farms lie all around the town,
and Mr. Tatum, the Easterlings, Hamers and Manships
know how to work them. Two doctors, McKenzie and
Reese, attend to the sick when there is any sickness to
attend. They do not need a lawyer, because they all be-
have themselves and pay their debts.

The "write-up" of McColl by J. E. Norment of the
News and Courier has been freely used in preparing this
chapter.

CHAPTER XXXV.

Adamsville.

Adamsville township is not so named because all the
people li\/ing within its bounds are named Adams, but a
goodly number do bear that name, and most of those
bearing the names of Newton, Fletcher and Gibson are
related to the Adams family either by blood or marriage;
so that it is not inappropriate that the township should
take its name from the Adams family. The township lies
in the northeastern portion of the county and in every
respect is a favored land. The farmers in no section of
Marlboro excel those of Adamsville in successful, careful,
remunerative farming. Nowhere are more comfortable
dwellings and neater out-buildings seen than in Adams-
ville. A large proportion of the land is under cultivation
and hence you can often have in sight several different
farms, the handsome dwellings, well-kept out-buildings,
and fruit-laden orchards indicating thrift and prosperity.
By painstaking methods and the intensive system of cul-
ture, the farmers of Adamsville have made themselves
equal, if not superior to any other section of the county,
in successful, remunerative, **all-round farming.'* Mr.
John C. Fletcher, one of the young farmers of Adamsville,
has. just been awarded a prize of one hundred dollars by
the News and Courier for the best "all-round farming"
in the State of South Carolina for the year 1896, where
the contestants were allowed to produce "anything and
everything that can be grown or raised on a farm and
consumed on a farm or sold for profit." The purpose of
the contest, as explained by the News and Courier, "was
to prove that diversified and all-round farming pays in
South Carolina; to exhibit the proof, and give public
Id .

270 History of Marlboro County,

recognition to the farmer who makes the best showing."
It is quite complimentary to Adamsville, and especially
so to John C. Fletcher, to carry off the prize where all the
farmers of the State might have been contestants. It is
to be hoped that his success in "diversified, all-round
farming," may be an incentive to others to adopt the same
method pursued by him, and thus bring prosperity to
themselves and to the county.

The plantation now owned by B. F. Moore, when pur-
chased by his father, had been "run down" by slipshod
methods of farming till it produced only a few "nubbins"
per acre; and Wm. Moore was doubtless warned by his
friends that starvation would be his certain fate if he
undertook to make a living on the place. He not only made
a living, but prospered, and "Ben Frank" is to-day mak-
ing as piuch cotton and fine corn per acre, as any of his
neighbors, and constantly bringing his land up to a higher
degree of cultivation. Capt. Breeden's father, Lindsay
Breeden, "in his day was considered 2^ good farmer." But
it is, perhaps, safe to isay, that Capt. Breeden on the same
land cultivated by his father, makes ten bales of cotton
where his father produced one; and other crops doubtless
in the same proportion. For a continuous stretch of four
miles or more along the Bennettsville and Adamsville
road the land is owned by the Breeden family. Sheriff
Green's plantation is included, but he married a Breeden.
On plantations embraced in that stretch Andrew and
Wm. K. Breeden lived and died. Their plantations were
admirably and judiciously worked by them, and now by
their sons after them. Capt. Breeden, J. L. Breeden and
T. J. Breeden, while not residing in Adamsville, are par-
tial to Adamsville dirt. The late James B. Breeden was
a native of Adamsville. No man perhaps who has lived
in the county has had a more abiding faith in Marlboro
land than he. He continually bought land, but seldom
sold it. When he purchased a plantation he immediately

History of Marlboro County. 271

built comfortable tenant houses, stocked it with mules
and began to farm it at a profit. While he was successful
as a merchant, yet he had practically retired from active
mercantile pursuits, and at his death, March 3d, 1891, was
devoting his fine talent to farming on a very large scale.
And he made it pay, for, according to his own valuation,
his estate was worth one* hundred and seventy-five thou-
sand dollars. He was among the first farmers, if
not the very first, to try the lavish use of fer-
tilizers under crops. It must have paid him or he
would have discontinued it. Chief among the many
plantations which he owned when he died was the beauti-
ful "Beauty Spot" plantation in Adamsville, a large part
of which is now owned by his nephew, J. Frank Breeden,
who knows as well how to work it as did his Uncle, James B.

But there are other fine plantations in Adamsville be-
sides those named. The lack of time and space will for-
bid the mention of others. The truth is they are nearly
all fine and well worked, and the owners drive sleek, fat
horses, plow fine mules, kill fat hogs, and have barns filled
with home-raised corn.

This chapter would not be complete without a sketch
of the Adams family. Jonathan Adams, the first of the
name to place his feet upon Marlboro soil, came from
Ireland prior to the Revolutionary War, and was of

Scotch-Irish descent. He married Miss Mary and

lived not far from the "burnt factory," a few miles above
Bennettsville. He fought through the Revolutionary
War as a Whig, and after the struggle had ended, and
when within two days' march of home, sickened and died.
He left three sons, William, Shockley and John, to per-
petuate the name, and a daughter, Divinity.

William Adams was married four times. His wives
were Mary Marine, Julia Bullard, Elizabeth Gibson and
Patsy Easterling. William and Mary Marine had three
sons, Jonathan, John P. and William, and three daughters.

272 History of Marlboro County.

Bede, Hannah and Mary. Jonathan married Mary Bright,
and was the father of the venerable Rev. Andrew Adams,
a local preacher in the M. E.* church who married Miss
Margaret Smith. Andrew Adams had several sisters who
have married and left many respectable representatives
among the Fletchers, Gibsons, and others. John P.
married Julia Newton, sister of Rev. Cornelius Newton,
and daughter of Younger Newton, Sr. Their son, Jackson,
also married a Newton, Miss Elizabeth. The daughters
of John P. married Newtons, Pates, etc. There are none
of the Adams of this branch living except a grandson,
Archie Adams and his family. The only surviving child
of John P. is Mrs. Ann Pate, widow of Travis Pate, de-
ceased, and mother of John A. Pate. William (called
"Branch Billie") of Adamsville, married Sallie Newton
and Sallie Fletcher, and Jonathan and Eb. are his sons.
His daughters married among their neighbors and kinfolk,
Robertson married Miss Betsey Fletcher and lived
near Boykin church, of which church he was a consistent
member. His son lives at the old homestead. Shock-
ley married Miss Martha Fletcher, who left several chil-
dren living in North Carolina. Shockley belongs to the
ministry of the M. E. church. Jephtha also married a
Fletcher, Miss Annie, making four brothers who went to
the same house to get wives. Jephtha's children are found
jn the communities of Gibson Station and McColl.
Wyatt Adams married Miss Nancy Leggett and lived in
Robeson County, North Carolina. The daughters of
William Adams, Sr., have descendants in Marlboro and
Richmond counties. The descendants of Shockley
Adams, son of the first Jonathan, are found among the
Malloys and Mclntyres, of Richmond County, North Car-
olina. John Adams, son of Jonathan, and brother to Wil-
liam and Shockley just mentioned, has descendants in
Marlboro. His children were Welcome, Mrs. W. K.
Breeden and Mrs. Bethea, mother of B. F. and Welcome
A. Moore.

History of Marlboro County. 273

Robert Peele came from Wayne County, North Caro-
lina, with Joshua Fletcher about I817. He married Mary,
the daughter of William Adams. This couple had six-
teen children, and now they are so numerous one of the
family remarked that it would be impossible to count
them. They are thrifty, industrious people and have
much force of character, and, being of Irish extraction,
they have their share of wit and humor, as well as intellect.
They live in upper Marlboro and lower Richmond.
The Adams were formerly Quakers but now are mostly
Methodists.

XXXVI.

Educational Matters.

Our forefathers began to take an interest in educational
matters at an early date. It is fair to presume that school-
houses and churches went up simultaneously, and that
soon after they had erected their rude log dwelling-places^
log churches, and log school-houses were built. It is sig-
nificant that the school-house was found near by a church.
At Brownsville, Parnassus, Salem, Hebron, Smyrna, Pine
Grove, Boykin, Beaverdam, and other churches, school-
houses are seen. It shows that education and religion go
hand in hand, and our forefathers recognized the fact.
They also knew that the erection of churches and school-
houses would have the effect to bring into their locality
other settlers of good character. The lively bidding of
towns and cities for the location and erection of educa-
tional institutions in their midst shows that the same idea
is entertained to-day. The building of school-houses in
Bennettsville antedated the churches. On December 12^
1830, an Academical Society was organized and the fol-
lowing signed the constitution governing it: John Mc-
CoUum, Nathan B. Thomas, Joshua David, Hartwell Ayer,
John McQueen, Jas. E. David, C. W. Dudley, Campbell
Stubbs, Jas. C. Thomas, Geo. Bristow, Wm. T. Ellerbe^
John H. David, Thomas Cook, E. L. Henegan, and several
other. A board of trustees, consisting of John McCollum,
John McQueen, C. W, Dudley, Nathan B. Thomas and
E. W. Jones was elected, and they in turn elected as the
first teacher of the Bennettsville Male Academy, A. C. Sin-
clair, with John W. Covington, assistant. Sinclair was
succeeded by C. W. Dudley, and after him, Duncan Mc-
Laurin, C. Davy, and others. The first teachers for the

History of Marlboro County, 275

Female Academy were Miss Jane McKay, afterwards
Mrs. John McCoUum, Miss Sarah Richards, Miss Simp-
son, and others followed.

The female academy stood on the lot of land across
the street from the Methodist church, now occupied by
W. S. Townsend. The land was originally owned by
James Cook, the grandfather of Mesdames Breeden and
Moore. The house was perhaps 100 feet in length,one-story
high, and with folding doors, was divided into two rooms,
and as occasion required, could be turned into one large
room for public entertainments. The male academy was ad-
jacent to the Baptist church, and where it stood is now seen
the Bennettsville graded school building for white children
of both sexes. The Academical Society owns the school
property, and convenes biennially to elect a new board
of trustees, who have general supervision of the school,
and whose duty it is to elect the teachers. The buildings
are aniple and well-arranged. The trustees have been
fortunate in their selection of teachers, and the teachers
have had the hearty encouragement and support of the
patrons. Hence little or no friction arises, and large
numbers of children attend. Additional room has re-
cently been obtained by the purchase of the old Baptist
church building, and with slight improvement, four or
five hundred children may be accommodated. Messrs.
Chase, Paisley, Thomson, Britton, Sheridan, Root,
Graeser, Rast, Stackhouse, Wilcox, Brodie, and others
have managed and taught the children. The school is
now under the control ot Prof. Cork.

The colored graded school has been managed by com-
petent men like E. J. Sawyer, Cain, and others. They
have been much hampered in their work on account of
lack of room. But steps are being taken looking to the
enlargement of accommodation. The large livery stable
recently owned by Capt. P. L. Breeden has been pur-
chased, and is being erected in West Bennettsville, where

276 History of Marlboro County,

the colored children, in their laudable and earnest desire
for education, may be taught.

In ante-bellum days the male academy in Bennettsville
was in charge of good teachers. Such men as D. McD.
McLeod, J. H. Hudson, R. H. McKinnon, E. H. Graham,
Daniel White and Neill D. Johnson, Leary, and Anderson,
endeavored to impart knowledge tq the boys. At the
female academy the girls were taught by Mrs. Ann Cros-
land, Mrs. C. A. Thornwell, Mrs. A. J. Johnson, Mrs. B.
D. Townsend, Mrs. W. P. Emanuel, Mrs. J. B. Jennings
and Mrs. B. D. McLeod. It must be understood by the
young readers of this chapter, that these ladies all came
to Bennettsville bearing t?/A^rnames, but decided to change
them for the names here given. The list might be extended
by mentioning Mrs. J. P. Campbell, Mrs. P. A. Hodges,
Mrs. J. N. Weatherly, Mrs. W. P. Emanuel, Jr., and Mrs.
R. A. Douglas. So that it is seen that a goodly number
of female teachers who came to teach have become per-
manent residents. Marlboro feels justly proud of the
long list of competent educators who have done faithful
work in her schoolrooms. But especial mention must be
made of the services of Mrs. B. D. McLeod and Mr. and
Mrs. John S. Moore, who are residents of the county.
Mrs. B. D. McLeod taught before and after the war in
Bennettsville. Later for quite a number of years she had
a large, flourishing school at Blenheim, where many young
ladies and youths were prepared to take high stands in
the colleges of this and other States. She was subse-
quently engaged in teaching near her home at the resi-
dence of the late Dr. A. McLeod. It may truly be said
that Mrs. McLeod's whole life in Marlboro has been de-
voted to teaching and assisting in the rearing of her half
brothers and nieces and nephews. A woman of high cul-
ture, broad-minded and kind-hearted, the good she has
done in Marlboro can never be estimated.

Mr. and Mrs. Moore taught before, during and after

History of Marlboro County, 277

the war in Bennettsville, covering a longer period than
ever did any other teachers in the town. After the war
they taught for a number of years at Hebron. We sup-
pose it is safe to say that no one teacher in Marlboro has
left a stronger and more lasting influence on the minds
and lives of so great a number of pupils as has Mrs.
Moore. Her methods were gentle and so thorough that
few passed from under her care without receiving a fine
rudimentary education and many have become successful
teachers who received no other advantages than such as
the fine schools of Mr. and Mrs. John S. Moore furnished.

In the country the schools have generally been well
sustained. With men like Donald Matheson and W. R.
Smith at Parnassus; L. M. Hamer and Harris Covington
at Hebron; the Johnson brothers at Pine Grove, and
others like them at other places, it is easy to understand
why the schools in a former day prospered. And with
conscientious, competent teachers in charge and a united
support of the patrons, they are prospering still. While
the youth of the county enjoy the advantages of good
schools at home, yet large numbers are not satisfied to
accept what they offer, but very properly seek schools of
higher learning where a collegiate education may be
obtained. The number of college graduates is constantly
increasing, and while it is scarcely to be hoped that an-
other Thornwell will ever be sent forth in the world, yet
some obscure boy born on Marlboro soil may come to the
front and even rival Dr. Thornwell.

It is a laudable and praisworthy ambition to strive for
a collegiate education, for such striving will place others
besides Thornwell and Robt. Mclntyre in the college
president's chair. Let the youth of Marlboro educate
themselves, for as competition in all lines of human
thought and action increases more and more will the
educated mind hold sway. Some other Marlboro boy
may follow John L. McLaurin into the IJ. S. Senate.

2/8 tiistory of Marlboro County.

The incentive and necessity .for a finished education is
greater to-day than ever before. Because your country-
men, C. S. McColl and D. D. McCoU, have succeeded in
their lines of business and made handsome fortunes with-
out the advantage of college training — youth of Marlboro^
do not undertake to do the same! Because Peter T»
Smith could, with no college training, amass a snug for-
tune on his farm — farmer boy, do not take for granted
that you could do likewise!

CHAPTER XXXVII.

The Colored People.

About sixty per cent, of Jthe population of Marlboro
County is of the negro or African race, and their coming
to this country was as slaves. This county had very few
previous to the Revolutionary War, but, as the culture of
rice and cotton increased and became the principal crops,
the demand for negro labor increased. About 1830 a
negro man would sell for say three or four hundred dol-
lars; a young woman probably for less. But about the
beginning of the war prices for similar slaves would be at
least three times as much. This was, no doubt, largely
owing to the growing demand for this labor for the new
Western States, and the prohibition of further importa-
tion to this country about the year 1820. The bring-
ing of these people to this country as slaves, has proved
a great blessing to their descendants, in giving them
civilization and Christianity, and has also greatly
blessed the South in giving to it the best labor in the
world, adapted to its peculiarities as to climate and pro-
ducts. The negroes of this county previous to and
during the war were well cared for and protected
by their owners, and seldom during those times was any-
thing actually cleared from the result of the year's work
upon the farm, further than was expended in the care,
clothing, etc., of the whites and blacks upon the place.
The main property in considering wealth was the number
of slaves owned, and the principal idea in obtaining wealth
in the South previous to the war was to take care of the
negroes and let them multiply. During the war the ne-
groes were entirely docile, doing the work of making the
crops in the absence of their masters, and being faith-
ful and obedient.

28o History of Marlboro County,

With the close of the war came the freedom of the
negro as one of the results of the conflict, and it was
seriously felt by the former masters that this was a
calamity indeed, principally as they could not conceive
of such a state of things as that a negro would work
unless made to do so as a slave ; and also that the two
races would not be able to remain together in any other
relationship than as master and servant. Neither the
masters nor slaves were prepared for the new situation,
and, as was natural, both made mistakes. The new
freedman could not fully realize that he was free unless
he moved from his old home and confidently expected to
be set up with '* forty acres and a mule." Then came
reconstruction and the conferring of suffrage upon the
colored people, which caused political aspirations.
During that exciting and stormy period immediately fol-
lowing reconstruction, to their credit it must be said that
no outbreaking act of violence occurred in this county,
as in some others.

The conduct of the slaves of Marlboro during the war,
when the able-bodied whites were at the front in the
army, was commendable indeed. No instance during the
whole four years is remembered where the blacks were
other than faithful to the home and family. It is not too
much to say that no other race of people under similar
circumstances would have been so loyal and true.

The present development of Marlboro is largely the
result of negro labor. The colored people largely work
as tenants and share-owners of crops, aqd any disagree-
ment or litigation with their employers is very uncommon.
The stores of the county are largely supported by the
patronage of the colored people, and it is rare indeed
that credit extended by a merchant to a colored farmer
or tenant is not promptly paid in the early fall.

Quite a goodly number of colored people in Marlboro
own their own farms and know how to work them. The

History of Marlboro County, 281

following colored men own valuable farms and have
excellent credit in their, respective communities : Alex.
L. Ivy, Silas Easterling, C. C. McRae, George Pearson,
Lewis Emanuel, Thomas Green, J. Evans Quick, January
Johnson, Richard Reese, Richard Gibson, Rufus Tatum,
Amos Tatum, Handford David, Noah Melloy, Edward
Ware, G. W. Steel. Washington Bright, Robert McColl,
Tony Lide, Moses McLeod, Benjamin F. Quick, Nich-
olas KoUock, the Cook brothers, the McKay brothers,
Moses Hodges, H. W. Hines, Henry Bradford and Dennis
David.

Among the colored population there are a few well-to-
do farmers and business men. J. C. Allman has a large
plantation, which he cultivates very successfully, making
from 125 to 150 bales of cotton annually. Peter Banks,
living near McColl, is another good farmer and has an ex-
cellent plantation, which might, perhaps, sell for forty
dollars per acre. He runs a four or five horse farm.

E. J. Sawyer came to Bennettsville about twenty-five
years ago. He has had good educational opportunities
and has received thorough college training. He served
as principal of the Colored Graded School for a number of
years, and has also been engaged in mercantile and farm-
ing pursuits. He has served two terms as postmaster at
Bennettsville. He is a resident of the town, owning an
attractive home, and numerous other town lots, together
with valuable farms in the countr}''. His property is
worth perhaps $20,000.

The Pee Dee Educator is the name of a papA owned
and edited by E. J. Sawyer, and is creditably supported
by the colored people of the county. Its circulation is
about two thousand, and with one exception is the oldest
colored paper in the country, being in its seventh year.

The churches of the colored people will compare favor-
ably with those of other sections. At the town of McColl
there is a small Presbyterian church. With this single

282 History of Marlboro County,

exception all the others are Baptist and Methodist. The
colored Baptist church in town has a larger seating
capacity than any other church in town. It is a substan-
tial frame building, neatly painted and well furnished.
The building is worth about $3,000, and was built chiefly
through the contributions of the colored people through
the efforts of the present pastor, Rev. F. W. Prince, who
received his training at Benedict College, Columbia, South
Carolina. The Methodists have a church in Bennettsville,
known as "St. Michael's M. E. Church." For comfort,
convenience, beauty and situation, it is all that could be
desired by any congregation. This church is worth about
$2,500. Both churches have comfortable parsonages at-
tached. When we remember that so many, and such
comfortable churches, have been erected through the con-
tributions of the colored people chiefly, we are amazed
at their liberality and religious zeal. As an illustration
of this, Tony Lide, a few years ago, mortgaged his home
and thirty acres of land, all he owned, in order to make
th e purchase of on e of the parsonages spoken of above. Be-
low we give the names of twenty of their country church-
es, all of which are well-built frame structures, completed,
painted and furnished, the average value of each being
about $1,000 : Hopewell, Sarian, Spears, Clio M. E., Clio
A. M. E. Z., Asbury, Pee Dee, Sardis, Macedonia, Saw
Mill, Level Green, Smyrna, Pine Plains, Galilee, Wesley
Chapel, Ebenezer, Cedar Fall, Shiloh, Goodwin Chapel,
and Dyer's Hill. There are others of less value, but neat
and comrortable.

As a rule the colored people avail themselves of every
opportunity for education, frequently keeping up private
schools at their own expense when the limit for the pub-
lic schqols has expired. Many parents by much sacri-
fice send their sons and daughters to colleges. Benedict,
Shaw and Claflin being usually patronized. More detail-
ed allusion is made to the schools and school buildings

History of Marlboro County. 283

in the chapter on education. When we consider the rapid
strides that have been made by the negro race along fi-
nancial, social, religious and educational lines, we are
amazed. Time nor space will admit of a more extended
chapter in this work. Nor is any pen adequate to the task
of bestowing the just meeds of praise upon them to which
they are entitled, for having so successfully overcome ad-
verse fortunes. Their progress and improvement as a
race in the last thirty years has been without a parallel
in the world's history, and their motto is, "Onward still, to
yet better achievements."

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
1886.

The following poem was found among the papers of J.
A. W. Thomas at his death. He evidently wrote it for
one of his e^randchildren. It may very appropriately ap-
pear as a chapter on the eventful year 1886 :

Another mile-post in the march of time, soon we shall have passed,

And deeply marked the footprints its rapid tread has made ;
Its entrance icy cold, 'mid winter 's storms and howling blast,

The ground hard frozen oft, in sunshine and in shade.
In vain we sought the hot-house in which to hide our rare and precious
plants;
Cold entered there, and hope and flowers both withered 'neath its
frosted breath.
The growing grain was killed by arctic winter 's blast.

The anxious farmer hoped that summer 's heat would atone for winter 's
death.
Spring came and summer, but alas ; such mighty floods of rain.

The earth was drenched, the lowland crops were drowned,
O'errun with grass and weeds men toiled but toiled in vain;
A scanty meager harvest was all the little gain.

And then as August numbered out its last long weary day,
While sons and daughters, worn and weary sought their evening rest,

A new and startling voice was heard which seemed to say :
Stand still, O child of clay, till Mother Earth shall find her rest.
Sleep fled from mortal eyes.

Strong men grew faint from fear.
Brave women sent up piteous cries,
^ And all were filled with awe.

Strong buildings rocked, as solid earth upon her stable pillars shook;

Fair city by the sea! almost destroyed, sent up her wail of woe,
As scores of people only waked to meet death's cruel stroke.

And full many. a time since that dread night of anxious fear
The strange and solemn sound, unlike all else we ever' heard or felt
before,
Has come at intervals to remind the myriads far and near
Of Power that shakes the earth, uplifts the isles and makes the ocean
roar.

History of Marlboro County, 285

And now as chill December comes.
And makes a three days' march upon her rapid way,
For three successive days the fleecy snow descends
To clothe the ground, adorn the leafless forest trees.
And cause the bells of cheer and joy to ring.
One day or less of snow has often come before,
But three successive days in this fair southern clime
Is quite a new event to old and young.

Therefore, my dear child, we say without fear

"1886, an eventful, earthquake year."

CHAPTER XXXIX.
Down to the Twentieth Century.

"Love thou thy land with love far brought
From out the storied Past, and used
Within the Present; but transfused
To future time, by power of thought."

From many evident causes the author has in a very
desultory manner covered over a space of one hundred
and seventy-six years in the history of Marlboro. In these
pages we have been carried back to primitive forests
whose solitude was disturbed only by the twittering of
birds and the hunting songs of the red men, whose rights
there were none to dispute. At the coming of the white
man we have seen the dusky Indian fleeing farther and
yet farther into the wild woods, until he disappeared for-
ever.

We have seen the struggle for subsistence of the early
settlers of this section of South Carolina. Later, their
growing discontent at the hardships and tyrannies im-
posed upon the feeble colonists by the mother country
We have learned that our forefathers of the Pee Dee sec-
tion bore their share of taxation; gave of their meager
subsistence; took up their guns and fought and died for
the independence that was bequeathed to their posterity,
as the result of the Revolutionary War. We have seen
under what almost insurmountable difficulties the infant re-
public was born. Had the straggling population been
unanimous for a colonial government it would have still
been difficult. But a portion of the population were
loyal to British rule, and conscientiously opposed all
measures looking towards the establishment of American
government, and later were engaged in predatory hostili-

History of Marlboro County. 287

ties against what they honestly believed rebellion in the
colonists. The early struggles of the infant republic
were serious and discouraging. But true and tried men
stood at the helm. Numbers of them bore our names.
Many sons and daughters of Marlboro to-day may j-ustly
be proud of the part their ancestry took in establishing
peace and prosperity in this fair land.

In the march of years we find Marlboro grown to be a
fine, flourishing district. Prosperity and civilization had
rewarded the industry of those sturdy sons of the soil,
our forefathers of a later generation. Again we find
Marlboro's sons buckling on the sword in defense of prin-
ciples as dear to them as were those of their Revolution-
ary sires. Bidding adieu to homes of luxury, and loved
ones, they endured for years the hardships and priva-
tions of war. The noble women of the South became not
only the bread-winners for their families, but by their de-
votion and assistance food and clothing were supplied to
the armies, to a large extent. The mothers and daugh-
ters of the South with their lily hands toiled and spun;
spun and sung; prayed arid waited. Waited for the hus-
bands and sons who never came home; who had fought
and lost — lost not only life and property, but principles
and institutions that had been bequeathed from sire to
son. Institutions and principles so interwoven with their
industrial and political life, that the result of the Civil
War left our State and county in almost as impoverished
a condition as were our forefathers after their struggle for
liberty. Among the many disasters of war one of the
hardest was that our county had been invaded by the
enemy. Traditions of the future will tell many a sad
story of experiences and scenes enacted during Sher-
man's raid. Hidden spoons and trinkets, buried demi-
johns, and incised feather-beds may figure in these re-
citals. But these legends rightly belong' to those who
were the participants in those fearful times, and through

288 History of Marlboro County,

them to their descendants. So, as a fair historian, we will
not trespass on family matters. We have never ceased to
wonder, however, if that little pest and destroyer known
as the Sherman bug was really lett behind as an
ever-present reminder of Sherman's raid. If so, by
what process of incubation were the bugs hatched
the year after the raid? If these are not actual facts,
would it not be fair to the distinguished Sherman family
to trace the pedigree of the yellow bug to the name of
some other destroyer. As remembered at this late day,
there may have been some amusing and ridiculous inci-
dents connected with the terrors of Sherman's raid. Yet
the realities and distress were pathetic in the extreme.
In many cases, a bed of smouldering coals was all that
was left of once happy homes. In other families there was
not food enough left for the next meal, and everywhere
there was desolation and devastation. But bread for the
hungry children had to be won in some way. Sadly
and slowly our stricken and impoverished people rallied
their energies. Hope and Faith lifted them out of the
depths of Despair; crushed and kneeling in the dust of de-
feat and humiliation, they implored the Ruler of Desti-
nies for strength to again start the struggle for life and
home. Turning their faces to a future that was uncer-
tain of all but toil and tears they gathered up their scat-
tered agricultural implements — it was all that was left —
and went resolutely to work. Truly they started from
the bottom. Former methods were useless to them now.
Henceforth their efforts were a matter of experiment.
Eking out what few provisions they had with a painful
economy, and wearing their remnants of clothing they
went cautiously on, a step at a time. Through the sad,
strange days just after the war, through the uncertain,
perilous times of reconstruction, the people of Marlboro
passed quietly and peacefully. No acts of lawlessness or
bloodshed stained the fair name of our county, as was the

History of Marlboro County, 289

case in some of the other counties. The men who had
been brave enough to face the cannon's mouth in war were
wise enough in defeat to courteously, if silently, pass
the United States garrison of troops whose presence pro-
claimed our county for awhile under military rule.

Gradually our people grew stronger. Year by year the
most successful methods of agriculture under the new
system of labor have been discovered. New enterprises
have been the outgrowth of the changed conditions.
There are two distinct generations among us to-day. The
older, who succeeded under the system in ante-bellum days
and who gathered up the scattered threads and strove
patiently and humbly to disentangle the web that war had
left. The younger, who have been born in that New South
where all men are free and equal, and in which the greatest
success comes to him who strives the hardest. Both gen-
erations, assisted by the freedman, have contributed their
full share of work on that wonderful structure, the New
South. Without fear of challenge we make the proud
boast that Marlboro, in all the mutations of the past cen-
tury, has kept pace with the most prosperous of her sister
counties. Peace, contentment and plenty reign through-
out our land. Fine crops of varied products are the re-
ward of industry. The skillful, painstaking methods of
the farmers, both colored and white, have brought the lands
up to a high state of cultivation never dreamed of by our
forefathers. Farms that produce more than one bale of cot-
ton to the acre are not uncommon. And Marlboro stands
to-day the proud champion of the world in the produc-
tion of the greatest amount of corn to the acre.

As we ride over these fine level fields that so easily
yield a support to all who work, and see the hundreds of
elegant homes, and notice the improved machinery and
commodious farm buildings, we wonder at the strides that
have been made in prosperity in the last thirty years.
Yet some are heard to wish that the fortunes of war had

290 History of Marlboro County,

been otherwise. Indeed, the passing away of the blot of
slavery is felt to be not only the gfandest moral act ever
performed by a nation, but it has proven a blessing to all
and none the less to those who felt most injured at the
time. The habits of industry and the strength gained by
individual effort have led to greater prosperity as to indi-
viduals and as to the country than could ever have been
hoped for under the old system. Marlboro's sons and
daughters review the events of the past century with ten-
der, chastened emotions, but none the less with gratitude,
for the years so fraught with trials and sorrow brought
many blessings.

But true it is that our faces are turned cheerfully and
hopefully to the light that precedes the dawn of the twen-
tieth century. Our fond prayer is that the generations
who will make the history of the twentieth century may
make as much of their improved opportunities as their
forefathers did of their limited ones. But let them be
urged here to ever more look back reverently at the trials,
sorrows and struggles of those who cut out and smoothed
the pathway for them to tread.

' 'Gently and without grief the old shall glide
Into the new ; the eternal flow of things
Like a bright river of the fields of heaven
Shall journey onward in perpetual peace."

Thomas Memorial Baptist Church.

The foundations of this building were laid about one
year ago, and many read the name through a mist of tears.
Every brick that has gone into that stately pile has been
a tribute of love for him whose memory it perpetuates.
They have builded wisely. Solid walls have been reared
that tell of the strength with which he stood for right.
Beautiful arches suggest the gentleness that made even
little children love him. The tall graceful spire that

History of Marlboro County. 291

crowns this magnificent edifice will forages to come, point
the weary, careworn sinner to a haven of rest. The o!d
bell in the tower for more than thirty years called the peo-
ple of Marlboro to the old church to listen to the counsels
and receive the benedictions of one who loved them as a
father. During the ministrations of almost fifty years,
he had rejoiced with friends on nuptial occasions; he had
helped to soothe their bed in sickness and had wept with
them when their hearts were stricken. The years came
and went, the summers bringing more weariness to his
lagging footsteps and the winters more frost to his hon-
ored head. Yet his loving hands and aching heart found
ever more and more work among the flock he loved as a
tender shepherd. At last there came a long midsummer
day when his work wearied him past mortal endurance.
It was a Sabbath, but his rest came not till nightfall.

" He knelt, all his service complete,

His duties accomplished, and then
Finished his orisons sweet

With a trustful and joyous ' Amen ! '
And softly, when slumber was deep.

Unwarned by a shadow before.
From a halcyon pillow of sleep

He went to the thitherward shore.
Without a farewell or a tear,

A sob or a flutter of breath.
Unharmed by the phantom of fear.

He glided through the darkness of death."

The old bell, whose Sabbath morning peals had been
sweetest music to his ear, called the people of Marlboro
together once more. But in solemn tones it tolled a
requiem over the loved and honored father, J. A. W.
Thomas.

The first Sunday in August, 1897, ^^^ the first anni-
versary of the day on which " God's finger touched him
and he slept." On that day the old bell rang in a

292 History of Marlboro County.

new, magnificent edifice and the *' Thomas Memorial Bap-
tist Church" was dedicated to the worship of God
with appropriate ceremonies. Rev. Lansing Burrows, D.
D., of Augusta, Ga., preached the dedicatory sermon.
Many ministers, life-long friends of him so honored, as-
sisted the pastor. Rev. Rufus Ford, in the services. They
wove a memorial chaplet to crown this grand monu-
ment that the people of Marlboro have erected to the
memory of J. A. W. Thomas. This stately monument
will proclaim to unborn generations the respect and de-
votion of Marlboro's people to their friend and fellow
citizen. If he left no memory which will "grow
greener with years, and blossom through the flight of
ages," yet would his feeble effort at leaving the History
of Marlboro to future generations prove his devotion to
his friends and neighbors.

Sad was it that before his pen could complete the work
in his own better style, Death, all too soon, wrote on the
pages of his perfect life j / -

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